Urban memory and identity weighed against economic investment in urban renewal projects: a case of Kisumu City, Kenya

Abstract

In urban contexts, memory and place are inseparable and important for identity formation. The individual and collective memories of city  residents link their identity with place identity. Special features in the landscape and urban fabric help residents differentiate  between, and connect with the city’s identity. The use of collective memory to identify and retain urban identity during urban renewal  projects, however, receives less attention than functional and economic investment considerations. This article investigates the  importance of urban landscape identity during urban renewal. It postulates that a city’s individual and collective memory is important in  maintaining its uniqueness in terms of urban landscape identity, but requires economic investment to maintain basic physical comfort  and access. A qualitative research approach with photo-elicitation interviews (PEI) was used to investigate the features that activated the  memory of the participants and that were important in contributing to the image of Kisumu City, Kenya. There were ongoing and completed urban renewal projects within Kisumu City at the time of the study, which made it a good case study for postcolonial Africa. Twelve residents (as PEI participants), four officials from the County Government, and four professionals were interviewed as key  informants. A field investigation was carried out through mapping and photography in addition to an archival review. The study reveals  that the old railway station, the port, and the market featured strongly in collective memory as part of historical trade development.  Despite the important role of civic and administrative buildings from the colonial era in the formation of memory, place, and identity,  there was also a positive response from residents to the ‘new look’ of the city. The physical upgrade, decongestion and cleaning of the  city, its streets and parks as public spaces resulted in greater safety and public use, which was well appreciated from an investment point  of view. The study emphasizes the importance of identifying, considering, and retaining the elements that support memory and identity during urban renewal projects as equal in importance to economic development and functionality when considering long-term  sustainability.

In stedelike kontekste is geheue en plek onafskeidbaar en is dit belangrik vir identiteitsvorming. Individuele en kollektiewe herinneringe  van die stad se inwoners koppel hul identiteit met plekidentiteit. Spesiale kenmerke in die landskap en stedelike struktuur help inwoners  om te onderskei tussen en met die stad se identiteit te skakel. Die gebruik van kollektiewe geheue om stedelike identiteit te identifiseer  en te behou tydens stedelike hernuwingsprojekte kry egter minder aandag as funksionele en ekonomiese beleggingsoorwegings.  Hierdie artikel ondersoek die belangrikheid van stedelike landskapidentiteit tydens stedelike vernuwing. Dit postuleer dat ’n stad se individuele en kollektiewe geheue belangrik is om sy uniekheid in terme van stedelike landskapidentiteit te handhaaf, maar dit vereis  ekonomiese belegging om basiese fisiese gemak en toegang te handhaaf. ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering met foto-ontlok onderhoude (PEI) is gebruik om die kenmerke te ondersoek wat die geheue van die deelnemers geaktiveer het en belangrik was om by  te dra tot die beeld van Kisumu City, Kenia. Daar was deurlopende en voltooide stedelike hernuwingsprojekte binne Kisumu City ten tyde  van die studie, wat dit ’n goeie gevallestudie vir post-koloniale Afrika gemaak het. Twaalf inwoners (as PEI-deelnemers), vier amptenare  van die County Government en vier professionele persone is as sleutelinformante ondervra. ’n Veldondersoek is uitgevoer deur middel  van kartering en fotografie bykomend tot ’n argiefbron-oorsig. Die studie het aan die lig gebring dat die ou spoorwegstasie, die hawe, en  mark sterk in die kollektiewe geheue verskyn het as deel van historiese handelsontwikkeling. Ten spyte van die belangrike rol van  burgerlike en administratiewe geboue uit die koloniale era in die vorming van geheue, plek, en identiteit, was daar ook ’n positiewe  reaksie van inwoners op die ‘nuwe voorkoms’ van die stad. Die fisiese opgradering, ontstuwing en skoonmaak van die stad, sy strate en  parke as openbare ruimtes, het gelei tot groter veiligheid en openbare gebruik, wat vanuit ’n beleggingsoogpunt goed waardeer is. Die  studie beklemtoon die belangrikheid daarvan om die elemente wat geheue en identiteit ondersteun tydens stedelike hernuwingsprojekte  te identifiseer, in ag te neem, en te behou as ewe belangrik aan ekonomiese ontwikkeling en funksionaliteit  wanneer langtermyn volhoubaarheid oorweeg word.