Urban Systems

Our team are members of center for green cities at the school of natural sciences. This theme focusses on SDG 11 in the context of sustainable cities. Studies under this theme include the assessment of sustainability of the port cities and developing essential variables for their assessments.

Projects

Bandari Bora – Spatial Planning of Climate SMART and resilient Port cities in the WIO region

Port cities along the Western Indian Ocean have become logistics hubs of trade and key economic points for their respective hinterland, local and national governments. Ports are continuously under pressure to implement mega-projects due to global maritime technological advances, a requirement to increase efficiency and attract international investment. Notwithstanding, the adjacent city is also required to attract international and national investment through mega-projects designed to contribute to economic growth, increase local and national GDP and support port functions. The goal of this study is to bridge key data and information gaps on: i) trends and patterns of land use and land cover change; ii) causes of the observed change in Mombasa, Durban and Moroni port cities in the WIO.

Researchers: Joseph Maina

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Miji Bora – Smart and Sustainable Cities

Mombasa County is a strategic location within the Northern Economic Corridor (NEC), connecting to the rest of East Africa, and thus a key player in commerce and tourism. Nonetheless, the port city is facing many challenges such as water, sanitation, transportation and waste disposal. The Miji Bora project intents at understanding challenges facing Mombasa city and how they can be addressed, and facilitate learning exchange among policy makers, urban researchers and other stakeholders through peer to peer exchange between the city of Mombasa and eThekwini municipality in Durban to facilitate knowledge transfer. This aim will be achieved by addressing 3 broad objectives; namely:

1. To conduct a situational analysis of the key drivers of urban form,
2. To predict future trajectories based on business as usual scenarios,
3. To envision, prototype and mainstream smart and sustainable future pathways.

Researchers: Joseph Maina