Coursework Assignment: Course BUR 505

1. What constitutes a rural settlement and how does it differ from an urban
one?
Overview
Decreased migrational lifestyles in the early 19th century resulted to the birth
of rural settlements in African societies. Prior to this period, most of the
African traditional communities lived migratory lives in search for greener
grazing pastures for their livestock (Mainly cattle, goat’s sheep and even
camels in the more arid regions of the continent. Otters like the Bantu
community largely depended on wild fruits. Water sources also made people
to migrate in search of water for their own consumption and that of their
animals. As populations grew, and resources became scarcer, inter-
community wars became more and more frequent in an effort to secure these
rare resources. The stronger communities therefore dominated the better
grazing areas/more productive areas. This eventually led to some kind of
territories. With time, people started to settle into small rural settlements with
some kind of a well defined organization. Communities slowly started to do
away with the migratory lifestyle to a settlement, with remote/.few if any
basic facilities. Their houses made up of the basic available materials within
their settlement vicinity. These included cow dung, tree branches, cattle
hides, banana leaves and would differ from region to region and the
communities preferred means of livelihood.
By the time the colonial rulers came in, majority of the communities were
living in such remote rural settlements. The colonial governments took
advantage of these settlements and reduced them to ‘Concentration Camps’
for easy colonial rule and administration. It was therefore easier for them to
monitor movements, deploy security over those small areas, and move them
around for agricultural production and other economic production activities.
Several such concentration camps were designated with an administration
headquarter where the colonial chiefs would live. In these headquarters, the
colonial chiefs would try to bring in as much services as would be practically

1
possible by then. These would include reasonably good masonry or brick
houses with iron sheet roofing. Some remote roads would also be necessary
to facilitate use of horse Chariots or other advanced means of transport. In
most cases, these areas were to be come urban areas after independence.
Equally, the concentration camps became the rural areas.

Characteristics of Rural Settlements

Rural settlements are principally guided by the following primary activities;

1. Food production
Due to the fact that rural dwellers depend on the primary factors of
production for survival, rural settlements are found in areas where the
communities can easily produce/find food. A good example is the river-lake
Nilotes in Eastern African region who settled at the shores of Lake Victoria,
primarily because they depended on fishing for food. Such communities
therefore found comfort around these shores and they have to-date been
able to bring up their families and have grown up in width and breadth.
Another example is the North Eastern tribes of Kenya whose preferred means
of food production is cattle rearing. This requires expansive land for big herds
of cattle. For this reason, they settled on expansive areas not utilized by other
communities in the North Eastern of Kenya.

2. Landscape features
The location of rural settlements is greatly influence by the landscape for a
number of reasons.
Rural folk dwellings/shelters are made of basic materials that are readily
available to the dwellers. This means that the houses must be done on
relatively and naturally flat areas. Therefore we find that these settlements
cannot properly exist in extremely steep landscapes.
Food production by land cultivation on such land would be difficult due to soil
erosion problems. At the same note, cattle’s grazing is more convenient on
relatively less steep land.

2
In certain African communities, where polygamy was practiced, the
arrangement of the houses within a family’s compound would highly depend
on the landscape. With no means to adjust the landscape and the fact that
the husband’s house had to be relatively elevated, the choice of the
settlement would such that to enable this order.

3. Environmental features
The environmental features such as the weather highly influenced the
origination of rural settlements. From the onset, an agricultural community
would try to settle on the more rainy areas, for good food harvests. Equally, a
cattle grazing community will prefer to settle near a river for daily easy access
to water and green pastures.

4. Political activities
Since colonial era, political activities have influenced the nature of rural
settlements. The colonial activity (Which in itself was a political activity) led to
the formation of concentration camps which have to date influenced the
nature of these rural settlements.
Today’s political activities, which have occasionally led to tribal
upheavals/conflicts, have led to the adjustments in certain areas with people
tending to move to their tribal settlements for perceived security. A good
example is the Kenya’s tribal animosity witnessed some years back after the
contested political election results, in which people were forcefully evicted
from certain rural settlements perceived to be dominated by certain opposing
tribes.

5. Soil exhaustion
Soil exhaustion has meant less food production. This has led to the alteration
of the way of life for the concerned communities. A good example is some
regions in Central province of Kenya, where due to reduced food production,
many people have moved to urban areas in search of jobs, and businesses.
These rural areas having changed in nature from an ideal rural settlement,

3
communities are using the land for dwelling only and very limited food
production. This has brought many challenges traditional witnessed in the
urban areas. These include insecurity, gradual cultural change, mostly in the
younger generations and a general breakdown of the traditional community
fabric.

Urban settlement
In many African countries, urban cities resulted from the colonial
administrative centers or colonial governments activities. Nairobi, in Kenya,
for example originated from a small railway station (Current Railway station
along Haile Selassie Avenue). The railway builders could at last access cool
waters after a long way from the coast (Mombasa) through relatively dry
lower eastern region. This among other administrative factors influenced the
location of today’s Kenya’s capital city.
Urban centers therefore had an upper hand in terms of infrastructure, which
meant that services were also easy to come by. Foreign and more modern
technologies and knowledge would first get to the urban areas before getting
down to the rural folk. Foreign visitors and investors would find comfort and
convenience for investments in urban areas due to the availability of required
infrastructure and services including commercial power, housing, security
sewer systems and even entertainment facilities. Due to this perceived better
living conditions in the urban areas, and the need for laborers in the factories,
rural folk from many different communities and started moving to urban areas
with hope to better their lives. The unskilled people looking for casual jobs in
these factories which the educated people seeking white collar jobs.
This demanded for expansion in infrastructure in terms of housing and
services. Initially people settled near factories because there was limited
motorized means of transport. With time and more people moving into the
urban areas, it meant that some of the people still ended up being forced to
live far away from factories resulting to a dire need for motorized
transportation.

4
This consequently led to the need for wider roads, to take the increasing
human and motor traffic.
Today we have metropolitan urban areas, having people from all walks of life
in terms of languages, cultures, social-economic backgrounds living together
in harmony and pursuing common interests.

Rural-Urban Distinct differentiating Characteristics

There are a number of characteristics that distinctly differentiate these two
types of settlements;
Rural Settlement Urban Settlement
1. Low Literacy level High Literacy Levels
2. Live by distinct traditions, with Many cultural backgrounds
clear rules for the different age harmoniously living together as a
groups and sexes community with common interests
3. Isolationalism, in which people Easy to access due to advanced
live by themselves partly due technology and infrastructure. No
distinct traditions and fear for binding traditions. Common interests
retribution by the community or such as security. More people per
the gods if not in adherence and square area. Shared services such as
the difficulties in accessing them roads, compounds (e.g. in gated
(Distance, poor roads etc) communities)
4. Economy mainly agricultural. Technology driven industrialized
This includes subsistence rain-fed economy. Use of machines to process
agriculture in many African rural raw materials, mostly obtained from
settlements, and rain-fed cattle the rural settlements or even
rearing. imported from other countries.
5. Lack of basic infrastructure or Highly developed infrastructure,
poor if any. Many rural which may include electricity driven
settlements in Africa are served trains, fully tarmacked and
by gravel or no roads at all. maintained roads and subways.
Waste disposal into pit latrines, Commercial power, piped water,

5
 no commercial power, no piped sewer systems, internet, good
water, poor housing, poor (If housing, medical facilities and
any) medical facilities, no entertainment facilities.
entertainment facilities.
6. Low population in terms of High population in terms of number
number of people per square of people per square area. Many
area. Each household may own a people live in multi-storied buildings
substantial piece of land. sharing all services. Few people
owning the land
7. No or very little competition. People very keen on competition for
Communities consider a wealth, and the attitude is “The best
member’s problem as belonging gets it all”.
to all. Children considered
belonging to the community.
8. Rural communities mostly Many different people from within
consisting of people of the same and without the country. Each with a
tribe, speaking the same distinct language but normally unified
language. by a certain common
language/means of communication.
9. In African countries rural Urban settlements house the “cream”
settlements are considered to of the societies. These include
generally house the less leaders, educated people and other
fortunate. This may not owners of factors of production.
necessarily be the case
10 Homogeneity in wealth. People Serious differences between the rich
generally have equal levels of and the poor. This is explained by the
wealth and generally low per fact that some people own the
capita. factories and other factors of
production while others come in as
laborers or employees, obviously with
considerably lower levels of

6
 income/salaries.
11 Change is slow and this is Change is very rapid. This is
attributed to the lack of services, associated to easy access to
and technology technology, and the current
globalization leading to innovation
and rapid knowledge transfer. Good
infrastructure including roads airports
and harbors enables easy access to
goods and services, hence aiding
rapid change/growth.

These distinct differences influence the levels of difficulties encountered by

planners in the urban and rural settlements planning activities.
The following urban characteristics would make it more difficulty to carry out
urban settlements planning as compared to rural settlements planning;

1. Urban informality
This is a phenomenon observed mostly in developing countries in which most
of the residential areas and even new jobs created are mostly informal (e.g
Jua Kali jobs n Kenya). The unpredictability of the informal sector is a major
challenge to planning in urban areas.

2. Rapid urban growth

Rapid urban growth brings with it both challenges and opportunities. Planners
must be able to clearly identifies these and attend to them well in advance.
The high demand for services, rapid growth of crime and social evils are some
of the challenges tha the planners must address.

3. Income inequality
The diffenrece between the rich and the poor is mostly critical in urban areas.
This contributes to growth in crime rates, use of drugs and other social evils
that must be addressed by planners.

7
4. The youth Bulge
This is a demographic trend in most urban areas in developing countries in
which the proportion of unemployed youth in the cities is higher than the
older population. Planners have challenges in terms of development of social,
educational and training facilities to address the youthful needs.

Other factors include the rapid growth of unplanned peri-urban areas and
issues of linking the green and brown agendas.

2. What in your view are the basic considerations in the preparation of a rural
settlement plan?

The purposes of rural development planning are:

a. Sustainability
The plans must ensure sustainability in terms of social, economic and the
environment. The plans once implemented should result to a long term
sustainability of the area

b. Service delivery resulting to an improved quality of life

A rural development plan should ensure that the rural folk benefit from social
services including sanitation, piped water, infrastructure among others

c. Improved growth potential

Provision of such facilities as commercial power and piped water, can
revolutionarize a rural area to a highly economically productive area in terms
of food and industries. A physical plan should therefore keenly focus on the
improvement of the productivity of a rural area.

d. Equitable distribution of resources

A rural development plan should focus on the areas of lack, that when dealt,
the area would have equitable and balanced development with respect to the
urban areas.

8
e. Integration and accessibility
A rural development plan must ensure accessibility and integration of the
rural area with the entire region. This should therefore endeavor to provide
roads, rails, airstrips among others.
A rural development plan should ensure that the ‘country feel’ associated with
the rural areas is not lost. This is achieved by ensuring minimal interference
with the natural beauty of the land including vegetation and landscapes

In order to achieve this, a planner must consider the following factors in

preparation of a rural development plan;

1. Population and demography

The population, population distribution and density are key issues to be
considered in the preparation of a rural development plan. The magnitude of
services to be designed in a rural development plan such as areas
demarcated for sewerage systems, recreational and social areas, schools and
health facilities depend on the population size and densities. The bigger the
population density, the greater the need for bigger areas allocation.

2. Environmental factors
The envronmmental factors such as weather and vegetation will also be
factors to consider. Areas like forests and wetlands will be considered as such
and therefore better left as public land.

3. Zoning plans
In situations where zoning plans are already in place, it is recommended to
consider them to ensure that rural settlement plans conform to the entire
regional plan.

4. Regulatory factors
A planner must consider the existing regulations as a basis in the preparation
of rural development plans. These may include factors like the civil aviation

9
regulations, Museums act, environmental management act and the physical
planning act among other regulations that may be in place.

5. Landscape and other natural factors

The landscape and other natural factors and phenomena such as areas
around volcanically active mountains/hills, and land slopes are important
factors to consider. Such areas must be planned in a manner that ensures
safety of the communities living there, and to ensure optimal productivity.

6. Human activity
It is important to consider the existing social and economic activities of the
communities in the region. The plans must ensure enhancement of the
communities’ productivity.

7. Political factors
It is important to consider the political environment and other social issues
that are likely to interfere with the implementation of the plans. This will
ensure mitigation of the possible problems well in advance.

All this said, it is most critical to ensure involvement of all the stakeholders in
any development planning activity. This will ensure that the resultant plans
are acceptable to the majority, making it even easier to implement them.

3. What in your view are the anticipated merits in the current constitutional
dispensation in as far as physical planning is concerned?

The following are the merits of the new constitutional dispensation as far as
physical planning is concerned;

1. Devolution

Chapter 11, Article 176 (1) of the new constitution states that there shall
be a county government for each county, consisting of a county assembly
and a county executive.

10
Introduction of these County governments operating like small regional
governments means it will be easy to carry out planning with the help of
the stakeholders, getting quick planning approvals, since the county
management understands the issues affecting them and fast-tracking
implementation.

2. Review of land law

Clear land policy issues of change of use regulation and even maximum
and minimum land ownership capping will go along way in making it
easier for physical planners.

3. Regional budgetary allocations

This means that there will be money disbursed by the government to the
county levels. This will help to easily achieve/implement the plans.

4. Judicial Reforms
The implementation of a new effective and efficient judicial system
interprets to a situation where land and planning-related cases are quickly,
effectively and efficiently addressed. This will greatly address cases of
land grabbing and impunity. This will result to easier rural and planning.

5. Dual Citizenship
Chapter 3, Article 16 of the new constitution states that a citizen by birth
does not lose citizenship by acquiring the citizenship of another country.
This means that Kenyans by birth who are living and have citizenships in
the diaspora are now effectively dual citizens. This means that they will be
able to freely live and invest in both of these countries. Kenyans living in
the diaspora as stakeholders for sustainable development will bring in new
ideas and thus liberalizing physical planning.

11
References
1. World Bank (2000); Entering the 21st Century; World Development
report 1999/2000
2. UNCHS (1996); An urbanizing World Global Report on Human
Settlements, Nairobi
3. The Physical Planning Act (Kenya), Cap 286; 1996
4. The Constitution of Kenya, 2010
5. The Local Government Act (Kenya) , Cap 265; 1986

12