Introduction
Urbanization and growth go together: no country has ever reached middle income status
without a significant population shift into cities. Urbanization is necessary to sustain (though not
necessarily drive) growth in developing countries, and it yields other benefit as well. But it is not
painless or always welcomed by policymakers or the general public. Managing urbanization is
an important part of nurturing growth; neglecting cities— even in countries in which the level
of urbanization is low can impose heavy costs. The United projected that half of the world's
population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008. By 2050 it is predicted that 64.1% and
85.9% of the developing and developed world respectively will be urbanized. Urbanization is
closely linked to modernization, industrialization, and the sociological process of rationalization.
Urbanization can describe a specific condition at a set time, i.e. the proportion of total
population or area in cities or towns, or the term can describe the increase of this proportion
over time. So, the term urbanization can represent the level of urban development relative to
overall population, or it can represent the rate at which the urban proportion is increasing

What is Urbanization?
 According to business Dictionary
urbanization is an increase in a population in cities and towns versus rural areas. Urbanization
began during the industrial revolution, when workers moved towards manufacturing hubs in
cities to obtain jobs in factories as agricultural jobs became less common.
 According to Wikipedia
Urbanization (or urbanization) refers to the increasing number of people that live in urban areas.
It predominantly results in the physical growth of urban areas, be it horizontal or vertical.
According to word web Dictionary
urbanization is the social process whereby cities grow and societies become more urban

Importance of urbanization
 
a.
 
Urbanization and Infrastructure
New businesses also benefit from urbanization, because they can take advantage of the infrastructure that it
brings. As cities' populations explode, governments embark on large public works projects, from highways to
airports and public transit systems. This new infrastructure makes the population more mobile, so that new
businesses can position themselves along newly established transit routes and expect to gain access to a
greater potential customer base, as more people will be able to travel to their establishments.
b.
 
Urbanization and education
As people move increasingly to cities, they will likely see their incomes rise, which will allow
them to invest in educations for their children, who in turn will have a good opportunity to enter the
middle and upper classes. This cycle is a longer-term benefit for new businesses, as it offers them a measure of
stability to look forward to, especially if they can engender loyalty in consumers from a young age.
c.
 
Technology
Its through the emergence of urban centers that the technology is advance in all urban areas. They become
involved in the process of innovations and discovery as well as learning. At some point people in urban
areas do not come with new products and process but they do discover a certain good that is well established in
the world markets and they produce at a cheaper cost.
d.
 
Trade and Ready markets
Urbanization makes ready for people and communities to trade freely. It is in urban areas that ready markets for
farm produce are created. People from rural area depend majorly from urban population in terms of income.
Their produce is converted into income. It’s also at this moment that the rural dwellers appreciate the role
of technology being delivered to them. It’s through this technology that the farmers and other producers are going
to be more efficient in their production.

e.
 
Governments
Urbanisation has played a major role in bringing up Law and orderthrough creation of governments, Monarchs,
Empires. It is thegovernment who collects taxes, revenues and line up projects fordevelopments. This was
witnessed in the earlier Roman Empire wherethe government at that time created wagon roads, piped
water,recreation area, community baths etc. Its though urbanization thatgoverments try to combat
shortages by coming up with major projectsand developments.
f.
 
Communication
Its through Urbanisation that the communications channels were moreadvanced and allowed for effective
communication between nationsand countries.Its Through urbanization that new communications channels
areadvace thus a faster way of relaying the informations.
 g.
 
Jobs and wealth Creation
Urbanization has created jobs for the people who do not want to workin the agricultural sector. People are able to
work in the factories thusability to sustain families and convert their earnings and createwealth’s.Challenges of
urbanization in Kenya
a.
 
Infrastructure
The available infrastructures wasn’t planned to accommodate thecurrent population that is moving from rural to
urban areas. The Citieswere planned by colonialist to accommodate a given number ofhumans and
developments. There is nothing much developed from thewhites master plan. The Planners at that given time
had planned forgiven facilities and set out important areas for expansion but ourleaders have taken those pieces
of lands meant for personal gain. ForExample for the expansions of major highways and construction of by-
passes some buildings had to be demolished to pave way forroadwork’s.
b.
 
Traffic Congestion
The Traffic in Our cities are menace. The Population has been growingdrastically. The Number of cars Imported
does not stop. TheDevelopments does not increase to carter for the ever growingpopulations and rising
demands.

c.
 
Air Pollution and Environmental Degradations
Vehicles were registered in Kenya (KNBS, 2007). Moreover, in that sameyear the number of private cars in
Nairobi had risen to nearly a million(Ryu, 2006). No wonder that today, the transport sector in Kenya is
saidto account for 65 per cent of the fossil fuels consumed nationally andto emit more than 65 per cent of the
carbon dioxide (NEMA, 2003).Poor maintenance of vehicles and traffic congestion are
criticalelements in the air pollution problems in urban areas. Most vehicles donot conform to permissible
emission limits. Air pollution from vehicles,industries and open burning of wastes in our cities and towns
cause’sserious effects on human health and environment. For instance,respiratory ailments, eye diseases,
asthma, lung cancer andconjunctivitis, especially in the young and elderly, are associated withair
pollution (UNEP/WHO, 1996).
d.
 
Higher Crime Rates
Physical isolation has led to an increase in crime, destroyed the localsense of solidarity and
contributed to the fragmentation of what wereonce cohesive family groups.
e.
 
Higher cost of living
The cost of living in the urban cities /Towns is so high that all a commonman can do is survive. As
we all know we get all the farm produce fromthe outskirts of the main city/towns. When The Farm produce gets
tothe cities the costs are always exorbitant.The other product to note is the cost fuel is ever increasing as it is
beingregulated by the energy regulatory Commission. Majority of the KenyanPopulations depend on fuel for
cooking purposes.The Price of all other food products is also high for example bread andMilk. The Common
mwananchi
 cannot afford these products and termsthem luxurious because the price is so high. Also on the same note,
TheKenyan economy is run by
capitalists
 thus making it harder for the priceof the common products to come down
f.
 
Basic Services
The crowded neighbourhoods’ of cities combined with poor sanitaryconditions and inadequate
waste removal create conditions favorable to the spread of infectious diseases. In Kenya, majority ofthe
people live in slums without basic services.The Country has also failed to provide safe and drinking
water. ThisMakes life harder in that people have to rely on buying water from water trucks. This has led to
people connecting the Nairobi Water andsewerage company water connections for their own good without
theconsent of that body.
g.
 
Poor Planning
Kenya needs to make urban planning a central, respected function,investing in skilled people, rigorous fact base
and innovative urbanform. This can be done through a “cascaded” planning structure inwhich large cities have
40-year and 20-year plans at the metropolitanlevel that are binding on county development plans. Central
toplanning in any city is the optimal allocation of space, especially landuse and Floor Area Ratio
(FAR) planning. Both should focus on linkingpublic transportation with zoning for affordable
houses for low-incomegroups. These plans need to be detailed, comprehensive, andenforceable.
h.
 
Family Times
As the distance between home and the workplace has also increasedconsiderably, workers now find themselves
devoting what was oncevaluable family time to exhausting commutes in overcrowded buses.
i.
 
Urban Governance
Meaningful reforms have to happen that enable true devolution ofpower and responsibilities from the states to the
local and metropolitanbodies according to the New Kenyan constitution Promulgated in 2010
 j.
 
Affordable Housing
Affordable housing is a particularly critical concern for low-incomegroups—in the absence of a viable
model that caters to their needs,Kenya can meet the challenge through a set of policies and incentivesthat
will bridge the gap between price and affordability. This willenable a sustainable and economically
viable affordable housingmodel for both government housing agencies and as well as privatedevelopers. Kenya
also needs to encourage rental housing as anoption particularly for the poorest of the poor, who may not be able
to afford a home even with these incentives.

k.
 
Waste Disposal and Collection
Increasing urbanization and the rising standards of living have led toincreased generation of solid waste in our
cities and our towns.ForInstance,
City Council collects only 40 per cent of the wastes and the private sectoronly 20 per cent. The
rest, 40 per cent, is left uncollected or is disposed of throughopen burning or dumping in open
areas and pits (Ikiara, 2006), causing moreenvironmental degradation and health hazards
to urban dwellers. In the low incomeareas where up to 60 per cent of the urban population live,
local authorities providealmost no waste collection services (UNEP/NEMA,2005)

l.
 
Noise Pollution
This is also another effect of urbanization. It affects people physically,socially and
psychologically. Traffic jams are a constant noise in allcities and urban. The other big time is the aspect
of people advertisingthough the use of loud equipment’s.

m.
 
Development of Slums and Informal Settlements
The inflow of people from rural areas to urban areas led to the growthof informal settlements in urban areas.
These settlements are not wellaccessed, no services dilapidated structures with no tap water andtoilets.

n.
 
Water Pollution
Excess wastes are filtered into the rivers and streams which causespollutions and deaths of the aquatic animals.
This Makes water frommajor rivers toxic and unusable for any purpose.
Historical Developments of Urbanization (Urban) in Kenya since 1900.Pre-colonial era
This Is as a result of British colonization and trade along the Kenyancoastal towns. The Town structures may not
may have existed but thespatial space was visible. Urbanization may have resulted as a result oftrade between
the British, The Indians and The Arabians.The Kenyan Coastal strip had been taken by The
CommercialCompany entrusted in occupying and administering its sphere ofinfluence.Imperial British East
Africa Company (IBEAC) Worked had in hand withthe missionaries in order to tap trade from the Interior of
Kenya. In orderto make trade effective and exploit more resources, they requiredeffective means of
communication and transportation to the interiorparts of the present day Kenya. This involved the construction of
roadsand the railways which the British Governments was very reluctant tofund. It is through these
facilities that the urbanisation grew and theBritish were able to create urban centres.
Colonial era
In The colonial period spatial consolidation was done in both time andspace. Caravan town were
created as administrative centres so thatcolonization process could be done effectively. These towns acted
assupply points and the resting Points, as well political and social culturalcentres for The IBEAC
officials on the Mission.The Communication channels helped in The Opening up of the newCaravan Towns
(bomas) as the settlers used to call it. Each Boma Hada Population of about 2,000 people. The railway helped in
thetransportation of raw materials to the coastal town and bringing offinished products for sale to the African
markets.Firstly where Initial Urban centres were developed belonged to African Natives since they were being
leased by Asians because they were theonly people who developed trading centers. Secondly the Colonial
government did not regulate planning and developments of buildings, therefore the nature of our town to the
present day.

Post-Colonial era
This was largely characterized by Good Planning and zoning policies. Post-colonial urbanization can
be divided into the National (1963-80)and global (after 1980) phases
·
 
National phase = urbanization was largely influenced by the national policies and characterized
by – High rates of urban growth (rural-urban migration) – Promotion of growth centers
·
 
Global phase = urbanization being influenced and shaped by global forces – Impact of globalization/global
forces is well documented

References:
1. The Colonial urban Development Through space and time 1895-1963-editedby William
Robert Ochieng', Robert M. Maxon

2.Google

3.Samuel Owuor Department of Geography & Environmental StudiesUniversity of Nairobi,

Kenya

4.Urbanization and Growth: Setting the Context Patricia Clarke Annez andRobert M. Buckley