In Nairobi, Kenya, the government is destroying buildings constructed on riparian land in a bid to mitigate the impact of floods. This is just one example of a growing African city that hasn’t adequately protected its rivers. Kefa Otiso spoke to Jessica Kavonic, an expert in helping local governments in sub-Saharan Africa on mainstream natural assets – like rivers – into policy and planning.
Why is it important to protect urban rivers?
Most of the oldest cities in the world developed around rivers because they played a major role in sustaining the city itself. Rivers provide water, support natural processes – like