Nairobi: The Politics of the Capital

Abstract

This chapter charts some of the key characteristics of Nairobi County, particularly those of development and governance that are directly relevant for how we may imagine the capital as a city of politics. The aim is, first, to provide an overview of the key issues that have an important bearing on contemporary politics, such as the historical geography of the capital’s divided urban areas and the enduring politics of the majority’s exclusion through control over and through space. Second, the chapter briefly explains the latest developments in the context of devolution, and what difference (if any) devolution has made to local politics in terms of addressing and/or exacerbating existing issues. The chapter concludes that, while recent events show that politics is livelier than ever in the capital city, it is far from clear whether devolution is delivering development or democratization.