URBAN MANAGEMENT, THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC-SERVICES AND INTRAURBAN DIFFERENTIALS IN NAIROBI

The paper analyses the city of Nairobi in order to illustrate the rela tionship between urban management and the unequal pattern of provision of urban services. It starts by presenting a conceptual framework, wh ich focuses on the current widespread trend of liberalisation of the p rovision of (urban) services and the withdrawal of the government; hig hlighting problems connected with a pluralistic system of provision. T he conceptual discussion is then contrasted with empirical data from s elected services in Nairobi, namely health care, water, sewerage and g arbage collection. The paper concludes by comparing performances, and discussing shortfalls of an approach to urban service provision which has had extensive international support. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd . All rights reserved.