Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o’s administration is exploring ways to incorporate the lessons learnt from the trials of a car-free day conducted on Saturday to improve mobility in the city.
At the weekend, there were no cars along the streets of Kisumu as the county tested the viability of adopting car-free days.
There were mixed reactions from locals, with some claiming that the move had stalled their businesses while others praised it.
Yesterday, normalcy resumed in Kisumu even as officials in Nyong’o’s administration and the donors supporting the non-motorized system sought to analyze the impact of their trials.
Joshua Owino, a taxi driver, said they struggled to get customers but described the project as ambitious.
“It can help make the city clean and also encourage positive activities that also protect the environment. However, for businesses operating with the Central Business District, it is a bad move,” said Owino.
A senior official who asked not to be named said it is a one-off event, but plans are underway to introduce car-free days.
“The exercise was a success, and we are working on a report to establish whether it is something we can roll out even monthly,” said the official.
The county government said car-free days would encourage city dwellers to keep the city clean and embrace other means of transport, including bicycles and skating.
The streets affected included Nyerere Road, Ondiek Highway, Gumbi Road, Mosque Road, Achieng’ Oneko Road, Awuor Otieno Road, Omolo Ogar Road, Ang’awa Avenue, and the Oginga Odinga Street.
The United Nations Habitat said it was impressed by Kisumu’s decision to implement a car-free day in the city.
Kisumu has an ambitious sustainable mobility plan to offer safe, accessible, sustainable and equitable transport alternatives.
The plan is sponsored by the County Government of Kisumu, the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) and the UN-Habitat.
Kisumu City planner Judy Bala said motorists had been alerted in advance of the trial and were asked to seek alternative routes.
HOdhiambo@standardmedia.co.ke
