Riparian Zone Planning and Governance Challenges in Nairobi River Basin, Kenya:

A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Riparian zone degradation in urban areas is a critical global planning challenge, with rivers increasingly encroached upon, polluted, and channelized. Despite existing legal frameworks, limited research systematically synthesizes planning-oriented evidence on why riparian encroachment persists in Nairobi City County. This study aimed to identify the major planning and governance challenges affecting riparian management in Nairobi through a systematic literature review guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The review synthesised 41 peer-reviewed articles, academic theses, and official reports. Four planning-oriented themes emerged: institutional fragmentation, progressive physical encroachment, weak policy implementation, and integrated planning interventions. The review found that Kenya's legal frameworks on riparian protection differ in specification and are inconsistently enforced. It concludes that riparian degradation in Nairobi is systemic, resulting from fragmented governance, conflicting laws, and weak enforcement. The review provides an integrated planning and governance framework to guide sustainable riparian management in Nairobi and other rapidly urbanising cities.