Influence of public policy planning on peri-urban land speculation in (Greater) Eastern Bypass in Nairobi Metropolitan

Abstract

Land speculation accompanies public policy planning in infrastructure planning and development in urban and peri-urban areas. The aim of this paper is to assess how the planning of (Greater) Eastern Bypass in the peri-urban Nairobi led to an increase in speculative activities by examining land subdivision and transfer before and after public notification of the bypass development. Land subdivision data for the period 2005 and 2018 are analysed to establish change in land size, subdivision, transfer and ownership. Findings reveal that normal land speculation occur after public notification; whereas structural speculation occurs during preliminary and design review. Land speculation circumvents subdivision process leading to approval without due process. Infrastructure planning is both a political and institutional process where political class and government bureaucrats influence road alignment. There is therefore need for coupling transport-oriented development planning with overarching land use plan; backed by enforcement.