Strategies for promoting and preserving urban landscape identity through public participation amidst urban renewal changes : the case of Kisumu City, Kenya

Abstract

Urban renewal to revitalise urban realms within cities should aim to reinvigorate landscape identity, in order to maintain the city's uniqueness and distinctiveness. The concern in urban renewal projects is how to sustain place identity, due to changes. In this study, urban landscape identity is the residents' opinions and perceptions of the special features in terms of the physical, meaning, and function aspects that help them differentiate between places. This article postulates that effective public participation is important in identifying, promoting, and maintaining a city's landscape identity in urban renewal projects. The article aims to propose appropriate strategies to develop and preserve urban landscape identity, with emphasis on public participation. At the time of the study, there were ongoing and completed urban renewal projects within Kisumu City, Kenya. A qualitative approach was adopted through interviews with four officials from County Government as key informants, four professionals as experts, and field investigation through mapping and photography. Archival document analysis was carried out based on documents from County Government. The study reveals that Lake Victoria and its scenery, parks, sociocultural activities at public parks, local foods, social interaction at public Central Square, and government buildings contributed to the city's urban landscape identity. The study concludes that, in order to preserve landscape identity, it should be acknowledged in legislations and policies that guide urban renewal and developments, and in public participation processes. The study proposes amendments to the existing planning regulatory controls to guide the preservation of landscape identity in Kisumu. The study reveals concern for the preservation of urban landscape identity within urban renewal projects in the postcolonial era in the Global South.

OPSOMMING :

Stedelike vernuwing om stedelike gebiede binne stede te laat herleef, moet daarop gemik wees om die landskapidentiteit te versterk om die stad se uniekheid en eiesoortigheid te behou. Die kommer in stedelike hernuwingsprojekte is hoe om plekidentiteit te handhaaf as gevolg van die veranderinge wat dit meebring. In hierdie studie is stedelike landskapidentiteit die inwoners se opinies en persepsies van die spesiale kenmerke in terme van die fisiese, betekenis- en funksie-aspekte wat hulle help om tussen plekke te onderskei. Hierdie artikel postuleer dat effektiewe publieke deelname belangrik is in die identifisering, bevordering en instandhouding van 'n stad se landskapidentiteit in stedelike hernuwingsprojekte. Die artikel het ten doel om toepaslike strategieë voor te stel om stedelike landskapidentiteit te ontwikkel en te bewaar met die klem op openbare deelname. Ten tyde van die studie was daar deurlopende en voltooide stedelike hernuwingsprojekte in Kisumu City, Kenia. 'n Kwalitatiewe benadering is gevolg deur onderhoude met vier amptenare van County Government as sleutelinformante, vier professionele persone as kundiges, en veldondersoek deur kartering en fotografie. Argiefdokument-ontleding is uitgevoer op grond van dokumente van die County Government. Die studie het aan die lig gebring dat die volgende kenmerke tot die stad se stedelike landskapidentiteit bygedra het: Victoria-meer en sy natuurskoon, parke, sosio-kulturele aktiwiteite by openbare parke, plaaslike kos, sosiale interaksie by openbare Sentrale Plein, en regeringsgeboue. Die studie het tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat om landskapidentiteit te bewaar, moet dit erken word in wetgewing en beleid wat stedelike vernuwing en ontwikkelings rig en in openbare deelname prosesse. Die studie stel wysigings aan die bestaande beplanningsregulerende beheermaatreëls voor om die bewaring van landskapidentiteit in Kisumu te rig. Die studie het besorgdheid vir die behoud van stedelike landskapidentiteit binne stedelike hernuwingsprojekte in die post-koloniale era in die Global South aan die lig gebring.

KAKARETSO :

Nchafatso ea litoropo e lokela ho ikemisetsa ho ntlafatsa boitsebahatso ba tikoloho, e le ho boloka boleng bo ikhethang ba toropo. Se amehileng ka merero ea nchafatso ea litoropo ke mokhoa oa ho boloka boitsebahatso ba libaka, ka lebaka la liphetoho. Phuputsong ena, boitsebahatso ba litoropo bo nkuoa ele maikutlo a baahi mabapi le libaka tse ikhethang ho latela sebopeho, moelelo le likarolo tsa ts'ebetso tse ba thusang ho khetholla lipakeng tsa libaka. Sengoliloeng sena se fana ka maikutlo a hore ho nka karolo ha sechaba ka katleho ho bohlokoa ho tsebahatsa, ho khothaletsa le ho boloka sebopeho sa toropo mererong ea nchafatso ea litoropo. Sengoliloeng se ikemiselitse ho sisinya maano a nepahetseng a ho ntshetsa pele le ho baballa boitsebahatso ba litoropo, 'me se toboketsa ho kenya letsoho ha sechaba. Nakong ea liphuputso, ho ne ho e-na le merero e tsoelang pele le e phethiloeng ea ntlafatso ea litoropo ka har'a Motse Moholo oa Kisumu, Kenya. Mokhoa oa phuputso o ile oa etsoa ka lipuisano le liofisiri tse 'ne tsa 'Muso oa Setereke e le litsebi tsa bohlokoa. Ho ile hoa boetse hoa etsoa lipatlisiso ka ho etsa limmapa le ho nka lifoto. Tlhahlobo ea litokomane tsa polokelo e entsoe ho ipapisitsoe le litokomane tsa 'Muso oa Setereke. Boithuto bona bo senola hore Letsa la Victoria le tikoloho ea lona, lirapa tsa boikhathollo, litloaelo tsa batho lirapeng tsa boikhathollo tsa sechaba, lijo tsa lehae, tsebelisano 'moho ea sechaba, le meaho ea mmuso li kentse letsoho ho tsebahatseng sebopeho sa toropo. Boithuto bona bo phethela ka hore, molemong oa ho boloka boitsebahatso ba naha, ho lokela ho ananeloe melao le maano a tataisang nchafatso le ntlafatso ea litoropo, le matsapa a hore sechaba se kenye letsoho. Boithuto bona bo sisinya lihlomathiso tsamaisong ea taolo ea moralo ho tataisa paballo ea boitsebahatso ba naha Kisumu. Boithuto bona bo boetse bo senola kameho ea paballo ea sebopeho sa litoropo ka har'a merero ea nchafatso ea litoropo nakong ea kamora bokoloni ba Global South.