Public Space Network

Public Space Network A collective of civil society, public and private stakeholders and urban experts with a vested interest in creating a cleaner, greener & safer Nairobi.

This week, our PSN team was joined by evaluator Helene Jørgensen as part of the Youth City evaluation. We reviewed the p...
15/09/2026

This week, our PSN team was joined by evaluator Helene Jørgensen as part of the Youth City evaluation. We reviewed the programme’s progress, discussed challenges and shared lessons from our work with young people and community spaces.

Communities should help shape where investment in Nairobi’s rivers goes and what it delivers. Our community champions at...
12/09/2026

Communities should help shape where investment in Nairobi’s rivers goes and what it delivers. Our community champions attended the High-Level Development Partners and Diplomatic Roundtable on Nairobi Rivers Regeneration, hosted by the Nairobi Rivers Commission and UN-Habitat at Trademark Hotel. Their presentation made the case for investing in community-led work, alongside discussions with government, development partners and the private sector.

This is about more than having community voices heard. It is about community organisations being able to influence priorities, help shape decisions and secure the support to carry out their work. People living along the rivers should have a meaningful role in determining how restoration serves their neighbourhoods.

Communities should help determine how Nairobi’s rivers are restored and where investment is directed.Our community champ...
12/09/2026

Communities should help determine how Nairobi’s rivers are restored and where investment is directed.

Our community champions joined the High-Level Development Partners and Diplomatic Roundtable on Nairobi Rivers Regeneration, hosted by the Nairobi Rivers Commission and UN-Habitat at Trademark Hotel. Their contribution highlighted the value of investing in community-led action alongside government, development partners and the private sector.

Effective restoration depends on more than consultation. Communities living along the rivers must be able to influence priorities, shape decisions and access the resources needed to deliver local solutions. Their knowledge and leadership are essential to ensuring regeneration improves neighbourhoods and strengthens long-term climate resilience.

Communities living along Nairobi River have a lasting stake in its future. Supporting the organisations through which re...
11/09/2026

Communities living along Nairobi River have a lasting stake in its future. Supporting the organisations through which residents work together is one way to strengthen their role in restoring and caring for it.

In Korogocho, our second inception meeting brought our PSN team together with representatives of participating community-based organisations to introduce the work we are beginning together and how we will approach it.

The aim is to help these organisations strengthen their work and prepare for a greater role in caring for the river and surrounding public spaces—with the support and relationships needed to sustain that contribution.

The future of Nairobi River affects the neighbourhoods along its banks. But communities cannot create lasting change alo...
10/09/2026

The future of Nairobi River affects the neighbourhoods along its banks. But communities cannot create lasting change alone. Government needs local partners, and community organisations need the support to take on shared responsibilities.

Our first inception meeting in Kamukunji brought together our PSN team, participating community-based organisations from Zone 4 and zone coordinators. We were also joined by Major Dennis Ayoti, representing the Nairobi Rivers Commission.

The meeting introduced the work PSN and participating groups are beginning together: strengthening community organisations so they can take a more active role in caring for the river and the spaces around it.

A cleaner Nairobi River is not just about how the river looks. It can mean fewer sewage-related health risks, less flood...
09/09/2026

A cleaner Nairobi River is not just about how the river looks. It can mean fewer sewage-related health risks, less flooding, safer riverbanks, easier movement and more liveable neighbourhoods.

The decisions made around the river affect daily life in different ways. Sewerage and treatment systems can reduce pollution. Riverbank protection can help limit erosion and flooding. Housing and public spaces can shape how people live and move. Paid restoration work can create opportunities for local communities.

The measure of progress is not only a cleaner river. It is whether families are safer and drier, movement is easier and communities have meaningful economic opportunities.

What change would make the biggest difference in your area?

Nairobi River regeneration will not succeed through construction alone. It requires ongoing waste collection, public-spa...
08/09/2026

Nairobi River regeneration will not succeed through construction alone. It requires ongoing waste collection, public-space maintenance and activities that keep these spaces active.

Youth and community-based organisations provide the local knowledge needed to make this work effective. They know where waste accumulates, how residents use the riverbank and which activities can support local businesses.

Their role links infrastructure to daily life. Markets need reliable waste collection. Sports spaces need maintenance and programming. Both require clear responsibilities and sustained resources.

Institutions and companies supporting regeneration should invest in community training, equipment and long-term maintenance. Communities should also help shape how these spaces are managed, while public agencies remain accountable for their responsibilities.

Here is everything you need to know about the Nairobi River Regeneration Project, broken down simply:What it is: A long-...
07/09/2026

Here is everything you need to know about the Nairobi River Regeneration Project, broken down simply:

What it is: A long-term project to reclaim 175km of highly polluted waterways stretching across our city.

What the work includes: Laying 60km of new trunk sewers, major flood engineering, and building new public spaces.

Who is involved: A partnership between the Nairobi Rivers Commission, national security agencies, and frontline grassroots youth groups.

What it means for neighborhoods: Ending seasonal flooding, introducing affordable social housing, and turning toxic dumpsites into safe community parks.

For decades, Nairobi grew by turning its back on its ecosystems. This project is changing that narrative entirely.

Swipe through the carousel to see the complete breakdown.

You cannot understand the Nairobi River by looking only at its most polluted sections.Its journey begins at Ondiri Wetla...
04/09/2026

You cannot understand the Nairobi River by looking only at its most polluted sections.

Its journey begins at Ondiri Wetland before moving through different parts of Nairobi—changing along the way.

Where does the river begin to change? What enters it at each section? And what will it genuinely take to restore it?

Follow the journey with us.

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Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00

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