Bill Bars Naming of Streets, Buildings After People of Questionable Character

Kenyan MPs are proposing that streets, buildings, and places cannot be named after individuals who do not meet the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution.

Kiambu MP Machua Waithaka's National Addressing Bill proposes that the naming of streets and buildings should be subject to verification by a council that ensures that potential candidates meet the standards set out in Chapter Six. The Cabinet Secretary for ICT will make the ultimate decision on roads and building names. Additionally, the proposed legislation will establish a national addressing system that aims to standardize the entire national addressing process, improving the delivery of essential services.

The National Addressing System will assist government agencies in facilitating seamless exchange, allocation, and retrieval of location-based data as well as promoting electronic commerce through efficient delivery of goods and services. The address system is crucial for planning, revenue collection, e-commerce, e-trade, e-government, digital financial services, e-navigation, and the modernization of postal services. The address system will be a significant improvement since Kenya is not endowed with an address delineation system mapped out for the majority of households or businesses located in unnamed streets

The issue of poor street naming and house numbering in Kenya has been a prevailing concern that has made it difficult for vital services like ambulances and firefighters to operate effectively. Counties are tasked with physical planning, including the numbering and naming of roads, but this has led to inconsistencies across the country. It throws up significant problems for emergency services, police officers and others who need accurate address data to carry out their duties effectively. The proposed solution entails creating a National Addressing Council that oversees a national addressing system that is logical, reliable, affordable, and accessible.

The council will promote the utilization of digital mapping methods, and ensure that public buildings and roads are named after uplifting events and inspirational individuals or places guided by Article 10 of the Constitution. When suggesting names for a residential area, it is important to choose names that are of a standard length and have a significant connection or value to the area. These names should not be offensive, misleading, or confusing, and should not be duplicates of existing names.

It is also necessary to ensure that the proposed names are easy to pronounce and do not sound similar to existing names. If someone wants to rename their residential area, they must submit a petition to the council that is signed by at least 300 people who live in the area, as stated in the Bill.