BACKGROUND

The Department was founded in 1991 in the then Faculty of Environmental Studies. It became the first Department in Kenya to offer a Bachelor of Environmental Planning and Management (BEPM), which combines environmental planning and physical planning, making it a pioneer in this field. In 1993 three new members of staff were recruited into the Department and all of them are still with the Department. In 2000 the Department introduced a Master of Environmental Planning and Management (MEPM) degree. The first class attracted nine students, with 60% being former undergraduates in the Department from other disciplines.

Since then the programme has consistently attracted not only students from the School of Environmental Studies but also professionals from varied disciplines like urban and regional planning, architecture, engineering, survey, geography, sociology, agriculture, and the natural sciences among others. The synergy between these students has made the programme very dynamic, interesting and enriching for those who enrol in it. The Department has a vibrant PhD programme that mainly targets members of staff in universities and research institutions. Currently there about 20 doctorate students at various stages of research. Through the Graduate school, The Department collaborates actively with other institutions of higher learning in supervision of postgraduate students.

LOCATION:

The Chairman's office is located in the 8.4.4 Building Complex, Third Floor Room Number 144. The Planning Studios and GIS Labs are located in the Science Zone SZ40 and SZ41

0208703806- Chair
0208703805- Secretary for External
EXT 3806 - Chair
EXT 3805- Secretary for Internal Users

Department of Environmental Planning and Management
The Rationale
During the Earth Summit in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992 member states of the United Nations committed themselves to the principles of sustainable development (Agenda 21) both at the nation state and global levels. Sustainable environmental management is a key facet of Agenda 21. Following the Earth Summit several countries initiated the process of implementing Agenda 21. In the case of Kenya, the first National Environment Action Plan (NEAP) and Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act (EMCA) were prepared in 1994 and 1999 respectively. The Kenya government established the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). Environmental management efforts are supported by various sector legislations, for example Physical Planning Act (1996), Urban Areas and Cities Act (2011), County Government Act (2012), Water Act No. 8 of 2002, Mining Act Cap 306, Forest Act Cap (2005), Maritime Zones Act Cap 371 and Agriculture Act Cap 318.

Whereas the laws governing planning and environmental management are sectoral and implemented by different agencies, environmental planning and management as envisaged in this course is blending physical planning and environmental management for sustainable urban, rural and regional development.
The establishment of the Department of Environmental Planning & Management at Kenyatta University was part of the local actions aimed at effectuating Agenda 21 through training and research. The Department’s main aim is to train qualified personnel in environmental planning & management as well as undertake research on environmental issues. This is in realisation that highly trained manpower is critical in the implementation of Agenda 21 and EMCA here in Kenya.

Graduates are employed in a variety of places both in public and private sectors. Currently the public service commission classifies EPM graduates under the scheme of service for Environment Officers of 1st Feb. 1994. They are mainly absorbed in the;

  • Ministry of Environment
  • Ministry of Lands (Physical, Housing and Settlement)
  • County Governments
  • Nema

EPM and MEPM graduates are eligible for employment as physical planners, land-use planners, housing development officers, project officers, environmental managers, etc.

Professional Affiliation and Accreditation
The curriculum, faculty and training approach of EPM in KU, produces planning professionals in Rural, Urban and Regional Development. Planning professionals in Kenya are registered either under the Kenya Institute of Planners (KIP) or the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) Town Planning Chapter. EPM Students are encouraged to register with KIP or AAK and sit the professional planning exams soon after graduation. Contact between the KIP, AAK, EPM and other stakeholders are ongoing on curriculum reviews, research and staff development. EPM is also a member of the Africa Planning Schools Association where issues of curriculum trends and relevance are addressed.

a. Ministry of Local Government,(Urban Development Department)

  • Conducting joint EPM studios with local authorities
  • EPM plans made for Keroka, Nyamache, Bomet, Kwale, Makueni, Naivasha, Nyeri, etc.
  • Involvement in The National Urban Development Policy formulation process
  • Student attachments

b.Ministry of Environment and NEMA:

  • Joint research activities, specialized curriculum development (EIA), joint publications etc
  • Student attachments

c.ICRAF, UNEP, UN habitat, IUCN, KWS, PA, KEFRI:

  • Collaborative research, exchange and sharing of information, student attachments

d. Ministry of Lands

  • Involvement in formulation of the National Land Policy, The revised Physical Planning Handbook and Student attachments

e. Ministry of Housing

  • Involvement in The Development of the Draft Housing Bill

f.Ministry of Metropolitan Development

  • Involvement in development of the metropolitan strategy
Vision Statement
To be a centre of excellence in environmental planning and management education, research, training and dissemination.
 
Mission
Commitment to the continuous improvement in the quality and variety of training and research in environmental planning and management; driven by highly qualified, competent and motivated staff and adequate facilities; and inspired students.
 
Identity Statement
A leader in provision of effective training and research on planning and management of environmental resources, human settlements and land uses for sustainable development in Kenya and beyond
 
Guiding theme and principles
Mainstreaming environmental concerns in the planning and management process as a central process towards attaining sustainable development and committed to high quality training and research on environmental planning and management.
The Department continuously improves the quality of training and research on environmental planning and management to meet sustainable development challenges. This is achieved through systematic curricula review; engaging and retaining highly qualified personnel as well as provision of requite facilities.

Goal of EPM

The goal of the department is to integrate aspects of the: region; its sub units: the rural and the urban environments; within a holistic analytical approach to address environmental challenges of the development process that cut across the physical, social and economic spectra.

Objectives of EPM

  1. To equip students with knowledge, skills and techniques for environmental planning and management.
  2. Undertake research and disseminate results through publications, seminars, workshops etc.
  3. To prepare students to understand and address complexities of nature and man's interaction with it.
  4. To offer the student opportunities to develop analytical and problem solving skills.
  5. To produce qualified environmental planners, managers and decision-makers.

PART TIME LECTURERS

  • Ms stellah Mbiti
  • Mr.Eliud Munguya
  • Sunday Abuja
  • Dr. Gerishon. Munala
   

Everlyne Amile Okubo

Everlyne Amile Okubo

 

 

 

 

  Nationality: Kenyan (East Africa)
Research interest: Neighbourhood planning and design, walkability, physical activity, non-motorised transport, open spaces, public spaces
Qualification: M.Sc. in Environmental Planning and Management and B.Sc. in Environmental Planning and Management both at Kenyatta University (Kenya). 
Current position: Ph.D. Student in Environmental Planning and Management at Kenyatta University (Kenya) undertaking, under DAAD scholarship.
Motivation:
Physical inactivity in urban children has been linked to an increase in the number of children predisposed to non-communicable diseases like obesity. The inclusion of public spaces in sustainable development goals has placed enormous responsibility to governments to ensure its citizens have access to secure public spaces to promote physical activity. Urban authorities have strived to achieve this through creation of pedestrian walkways and introduction of traffic calming measures in a bid to promote access to secure public spaces especially at neighborhood levels. However, most children in Nairobi City face walkability issues around public spaces. Most of the walking paths and cycling paths are not only unavailable in most instances, but are in poor conditions where they exist. This has inspired me to undertake a Ph.D. research on access and utilisation of open spaces with a view of investigating walkability around open spaces as an intervention to promote physical activity among children.
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Ahogle Arcadius

Martinien Arcadius Ahogle Agassin

 

 

 

 

 

  

Nationality: Benin (West Africa)
Research interest: Soil pollution, Sustainable Management of Soil Fertility, Soil conservation, land use change monitoring.
Qualification: M.Sc. in Sustainable Management of Soil Fertility and B.Sc. in Crop science both at University of Abomey-Calavi (Benin).
Current position: Ph.D. Student in Environmental Planning and Management at Kenyatta University (Kenya) undertaking, under DAAD scholarship.

Motivation:
Land and water availability as well as their quality are prerequisite condition for life. However along with the growing trend of rapid urbanisation and human activities, soil and water pollution has reached an alarming level, positing serious health hazards and environment degradation. In the context where, urban and peri-urban Agriculture is very important for food security, it is a challenge to monitor the extent of soil and water pollution in Sub-Saharan African’s cities. My Ph.D. research endowed to assess land use trends and patterns and its implication on soil and water pollution in Urban a Peri-Urban agro-systems in Kenya. Results from this study will provide valuable data upscaling decision-making tools for sustainable management of urban and peri-urban agro-systems and healthy food supply for cities’ dwellers.
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Okore Luther M.K.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Nationality: Kenyan
Research interests
Household energy-climate change nexus, climate change adaptation-mitigation synergy, Biomass carbon inventory, education for sustainable development and integrated natural resource management
Qualifications
Master of Environmental Studies (Climate Change and Sustainability) – Kenyatta University, Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Resource Conservation) – Kenyatta University
Current position: PhD candidate in Environmental Planning and Management 
Motivation
Sustainable household energy solutions for urban informal settlements are an imperative for Sub-Saharan Africa cities to tread the path of sustainability. Secondary cities in the region are projected to grow faster in the next 20 years than they have ever done before. Kisumu is a secondary city on the eastern shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya. Population increase in the city has been characterized by rapid expansion and emergence of informal settlements. The challenge of accelerated urban greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is eminent in the city. Households in these informal settlements are characterized by heavy reliance on woody biomass for their cooking and heating needs. Accurate inventory of GHG emissions from these settlements should therefore be prioritized as a foundation for transitioning Sub-Saharan Cities to sustainable green cities. Okore Luther, a PhD candidate is exploring how household energy choices impact on carbon emissions from informal settlements of Kisumu City. Okore examines the household-based determinants of fuel combination choices, informed by the energy stacking theory. He further models the how these household-based attributes contribute to GHG emissions and how various interventions could accelerated climate change mitigation in urban informal settlements of Kisumu City.
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Yoksa Salmamza

Yoksa Salmamza Mshelia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nationality: Nigerian (West Africa)

Research Interests: 
Monitoring and Prediction of Land Use Transition, Micro-climate Scenario Modeling, Sustainable Landscape Ecology, Mainstreaming Nature Base Solution (NBS) in Urban Planning and Climate Resilient Cities.

Qualifications: 
Master of Environmental Planning and Management at Kenyatta University (Kenya) and Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology at University of Maiduguri (Nigeria).

Current position: 
PhD Student in Environmental Planning and Management at Kenyatta University (Kenya) undertaking, under DAAD scholarship.

Motivation:
Globally, the 21st century has experienced exponential growth in the sizes of urban areas. The process is characterized by demographic changes and transformation of land consumption pattern. The uncontrolled land use transition is playing an increasing impact on the distribution of green infrastructure of cities that is modifying their microclimate. Empirical studies show that the modified microclimate has adverse impact on the urban dweller such as the footprints of thermal feedback like heat stroke. Abuja has experienced an exponential change of land use since its launch as the capital of Nigeria in 1991. This trend has a profound effect on the ecological processes of Abuja. This inspired Yoksa S.M., a PhD candidate in Environmental Planning and Management to undertake a research on the nexus of land use transition in Abuja (Nigeria) and its micro-climate based on Land-Use Simulation Models. This is with a view to understand the cities thermal trajectory that will ensure a strategic planning of climate effective Nature Base Solution (NBS).
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Halima Omari Mangi2020

Halima Omari Mangi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nationality: Republic of Tanzania
Research interest: Ecological dynamics of Nyumba ya Mungu Dam in Pangani Basin, Tanzania
Current position: Ph.D. Student in Environmental Planning and Management at Kenyatta University (Kenya) undertaking, under DAAD scholarship.
Motivation
The construction of dams has been steadily growing; hence, dams have become one of the common ecological features. Their increase in number and size has triggered thoughts on how they can be better utilized for sustainable livelihood while reducing the impacts of their construction and operations.
Dams have the potential to create a new lake ecosystem, which ends up becoming important habitats for various aquatic organisms such as birds and fishes. Although reservoirs are never impounded for fishery development per se, lakes ecosystems formed as results of various purpose, have significantly contributed to fisheries. In some areas, reservoir fisheries have become an important livelihood alternative to communities relocated to allow for dam construction. Nevertheless, in most areas reservoir fisheries have not reached their yield potential due to various reasons.
Mangi, Halima a Ph.D. student is investigating on ecological dynamics of Nyumba ya Mungu Dam (in Pangani Basin, Tanzania), and how they link to its fisheries productivity. She analyzes land use and covers change influence on the ecology of the Nyumba ya Mungu Dam. She also analyzes the link between the dam water levels and water quality and fish yield.
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Konguka George

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nationality: Kenyan
Research interests
Neighbourhoods’ sustainability and livability, urban land development, provision of physical and social infrastructure, co-production of public space, common pool resources, property rights, land administration and management.
Qualifications
Master of Science Land Management with specialization in built environment – KTH (Stockholm, Sweden), Bachelor of Science (Surveying) – University of Nairobi (Kenya)

Current position: PhD candidate in Environmental Planning and Management

Motivation
Public spaces in urban areas are vital elements of urban landscape. Public spaces such as parks, playgrounds, open green spaces and other social infrastructure provide critical spaces for residents to breathe and be active thereby improve livability. A famed American landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted once described parks as “lungs of the city”. Many cities in developing countries are fast sprawling into the neighbouring peri-urban agricultural land. Neighbourhoods in these peri-urban areas are created through agglomeration of individual parcels subdivisions at different times. Different urban land uses/users such as residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and public purposes bid for the limited land. However, there is increasing concern over the livability of this neighbourhoods created by individual parcellation. Konguka George, a PhD candidate in environmental planning and management investigate the provision of physical and social infrastructure in individual parcel planned areas. Konguka aggregate different parcel level land use allocations in different subdivision schemes created at different times and conceptualize land use mix and adequacy indicators in the provision and management of physical and social infrastructure through the lens of neighbourhood unit and new urbanism.
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 Undergraduate Programme Structure

>>BACHELOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT)

 

Level 100

Level 200

Level 300

Level 400

Units required

4 UCUs
6 EPM core units
3 (from two other SES departments i.e ECD, ENS or EED)

6 EPM core units
3 EPM electives
3 (from two other SES departments ie ECD, ENS or EED)

Only EPM core units and requisite number of Electives are offered.
*Site/Neighbourhood studio 1
* Urban studio1
* Practicum

Only EPM core units and requisite number of Electives are offered
*Rural studio 1
*Regional Studio 1
*Research Project

Total

13

12

13

12

 Masters Programme Structure

>>MASTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

 

Level 500
(MEPM I)

Level 600
(MEPM II)

Units Required

8 Core Units
4 Electives
* Site/Neighbourhood Studio 2
*Urban Studio 2

5 Core Units
4 Electives
*Rural Studio 2
*Regional Studio2
*Research Project

Total

12

9

Current EPM Programme Enrolment


LEVEL

NUMBER OF STUDENTS

Bachelor of EPM

148 (160)

Master of EPM

17 (30)

PhD

11 (15)

Total EPM programme

176 (205)

Note: Number in parenthesis indicate optimum enrolment

The department is committed to continuous improvement of the quality of teaching and learning. In order to better respond to changing education needs, the department regularly revises its academic programmes to effectively meet emerging challenges. In addition, it continuously develops new academic programmes to meet the changing markets.

The programme emphasizes practical learning experiences and uses modern integrative and highly interactive teaching methods to help students to develop initiative, creativity and responsibility. Lectures, field based courses (EPM studios), discussion sessions, seminar presentations, and attachment/internship comprise key elements of the learning and practice in EPM.

These necessitate small but specialized classes of between 35-40 students per academic year to adequately train our students. The EPM teaching and training is as represented below

 

  

Seminar/Project Series
Focuses on emerging environmental issues

  1. EPM research methodology
  2. Identify and articulate a research problem
  3. Collect, analyze and make presentation on findings using EPM skills learnt

 

Practicum Series
Focuses on helping the student apply the acquired skills to real life situations in areas of their specialization eg;

  1. National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)
  2. City and Urban authorities (especially in Planning, Housing Development and Environment Divisions)
  3. Ministries (Lands, Housing, Urban Development and Nairobi Metropolitan)
  4. KWS, KARI, Regional Development authorities eg TARDA, KVDA, LBDA, ENNDA, CDA
  5. UN Habitat and UNEP
  6. NGOs (eg. Practical Action, ICRAF ) Among others

 

 

Lecture Series
Focuses on theory of EPM in all aspects of Urban, Rural and Regional development for example;

  1. Environmental Planning Law
  2. Development control
  3. Environmental Action Planning
  4. Environmental Economics
  5. Resource Use Planning
  6. Environmental Accounting and Auditing
  7. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
  8. Urban land-use planning, Renewal and Redevelopment
  9. Project Feasibility Planning, Management and M&E
  10. Planning and Management of Wetland Resources
  11. Integrated Watershed Management (IWM) and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)
  12. Disaster Preparedness and Management
  13. Planning and Management of Wildlife Resources, Tourism and Ecotourism systems among others
  

 

Technical Series
EPM Technical courses seek to give the student the ability to generate, interpret and represent technical data both spatially (EPM spatial plans) and in report formats. These include

  1. Pen use practice
  2. Creative Design
  3. Presentation techniques
  4. Environmental Surveying
  5. Environmental mapping and cartography
  6. GIS and Remote Sensing techniques
  7. Computer applications and modeling in EPM
  8. Statistics in EPM.

 Studio Series
EPM Planning Studios are field courses that are designed to give the student practical experience in conceptualization, design, data collection and analysis in a specific area and making a specific EPM plan as a solution to the problem

  1. Rural Planning studio
  2. Urban planning Studio
  3. Regional Studio
  4. Urban Design studio
  5. Site and Neighbourhood studio
  6. Landscape planning & design.