Experts want rules to guide naming of streets

What you need to know:

  • This follows a storm over the renaming of a road in Mombasa after the son of Opposition and Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga.

  • One of the objections to the renaming of the road was that Fidel had not accomplished anything significant for the country or Mombasa to merit the honour.

  • There is no law that stipulates that roads should be named after heroes.

  • In 2014, Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero distanced himself from a road named after him near the Bomas of Kenya.

Law and devolution experts are calling for the formulation of guidelines to regulate the naming of streets.

This follows a storm over the renaming of a road in Mombasa after the son of Opposition and Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga.

They say the change of the street name may have opened a can of worms, which could end up being a new avenue for impunity by senior officials in county governments.  

Last week, there was a storm on social media when a road in Mombasa was named Fidel Odinga. He died in January last year.

One of the objections to the renaming of the road was that Fidel had not accomplished anything significant for the country or Mombasa to have the honour of a landmark named after him.

The noise died almost as quickly as it began.

Now, almost a week after a memorial service was held in honour of Fidel and his grandfather Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Mombasa residents have a new phrase to type into their Google Map app.

INDEPENDENCE HEROES

“Before devolution, there was more discretion on naming landmarks but this is no longer the case,” says Dr Nzamba Kitonga, the man who led the committee of experts that drafted the Constitution.

“The law provides that any matter that affects the community requires public participation. Geographical landmarks are going to be used by the public and therefore, the least you can do is involve their representatives when making such a decision.”

But Mombasa County Assembly Finance Committee Chairman and Nominated MCA Mohamed Hatimy says the naming of streets and roads is at the governor’s discretion.

“Naming and renaming roads is bestowed on the governor. It does not even need approval from the assembly,” he told the Daily Nation last week.

Some Jubilee lawmakers and their followers are planning a peaceful demonstration to protest the naming of the road after Fidel.

Their argument is that Fidel was not a national hero.

However, there is no law that stipulates that roads should be named after heroes.

Transition Authority Chairman Kinuthia Wamwangi says this legal loophole could be easily abused by county leaders unless something is done.

“Though the decision is made by the governor, it is only prudent that it be a shared recommendation, otherwise we may end up with a situation where every new regime wants landmarks named after it,” he said.

“This could lead to problems in future, where incumbents will want to have names brought in by previous regimes replaced. How will they go about it without any form of standards? It is time we nipped this problem in the bud.”

A majority of roads in Nairobi and the rest of the country are named after heroes, most of whom are recognised for their role in the fight for the country’s independence.

Koinange, Tom Mboya, Kimathi, Kenyatta, Argwings Kodhek and Denis Pritt are just a few people who have been immortalised through roads.

Former President Daniel arap Moi has dozens of roads, institutions and other landmarks named after him.

SONKO ROAD

The naming of streets and roads was never a controversial issue until the new Constitution was promulgated.

In 2014, Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero distanced himself from a road named after him near the Bomas of Kenya.

He responded to the public uproar by having the sign bearing his name removed and even laid blame on Roads Executive Evans Ondieki who lost his job recently. 

Not long afterwards, a “Sonko Road” sign was placed on a street in Buruburu, Nairobi.

The sign was removed shortly after it emerged that supporters of Senator Mike Sonko placed it there illegally.

One of the reasons leaders or their supporters are taking it upon themselves to name roads is that many in Nairobi, for instance, remain unmarked.

Just last year, the Nairobi County Assembly discussed a motion seeking to review the names of some streets.

New scenario

Karen Ward Representative David Mberia described the naming of Mogadishu, Dar es Salaam, Lusaka, Gaberone, Monrovia, Lagos and Kampala roads as unplanned and urged colleagues to revive the tradition of naming streets after local heroes.

Dr Kitonga, suggests the Kenya Heroes Act 2014 as a good starting point.

“The naming of roads could be included in the drafting of the legislation of heroes. The Act may be amended to include this consideration. The National Assembly can also enact the legislation within the framework of the National Emblems and Names Act,” he says.

“What we have here is a new scenario that has never been a significant legal problem in the past. But you can never draft laws that will anticipate all possible future problems.”

Last year, Nairobi County assembly approved a Motion to have Limuru road renamed after  Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai.

The county government said it would rename Forest Road but this has not yet happened.