Kenya: Country Lauded for Infrastructural Reforms - Kenya's infrastructural reforms have been lauded by the World Bank in a report released on Tuesday, despite broader governance limitations. [AA Urbanisation]

Kenya: Scramble for Beach Plots Deepens Squatter Crisis - Seven years after independence, President Kenyatta issued a quiet decree on acquisition of beach plots and what came to be known as second-row plots. [AA Urbanisation]

Kenya: New Building Laws to Lock Out Quacks - Professionals in the building sector will review ancient laws that they say have failed to keep quacks out of the sector, leading to poor quality work. [AA Construction]

Kenya: Ngilu Tells of Plan to Build 16 Big Dams - The Kenyan Government plans to build 16 large dams in the next 10 years to address the perennial water shortage in the country, Water minister Charity Ngilu said on Saturday. [AA Construction]

Kenya: Buildings Disastrous - All mayors, town clerks, engineers, architects, planners and other officials who allow developers to get away with murder, literally, should also be in the dock when any criminal charges are filed. [AA Construction]

Kenya: China Pledge for Country Projects - The Chinese Government has given Kenya Sh600 million to fund the development of infrastructure and promised to provide more funding as soon as Nairobi provides its list of priority projects. [AA Urbanisation]

Kenya: Malindi to Spend Sh100 Million on Power Projects - The Malindi Constituency Development Fund will spend over Sh100 million on rural electrification. [AA Urbanisation]

Kenya: Board Blamed for Water Shortage in Mombasa - Several Mombasa leaders have demanded the dissolution of the Coast Water Services Board, accusing it of failing to end water shortages. [AA Urbanisation]

Kenya: Contractors Seek Flexible Building Rules to Cut Costs - Players in the building and construction sector have asked the government to relax the building and construction code to spur further construction of houses to meet growing demand. [AA Construction]

Kenya: Local Authorities Reform Plan Underway - Reforms in the local authorities are inevitable if the country is to achieve its development objectives, key among them ability to attract investors. [AA Urbanisation]

Kenya: Slum Dwellers to Get Sh1.7 Billion Sanitation Upgrade - Thousands of poor urban households will gain access to water and sanitation services in a Sh1.7 billion deal targeting the slums. [AA Urbanisation]

Kenya: Bitter Inter-Ministry Dispute Threatens Pokot Cement Project - The Office of the President has confirmed that the groundbreaking ceremony for the "ultra-modern" cement plant to be put up by India's largest cement manufacturer, the Sanghi Group, in the Ortum/Sebit area in Kenya's Pokot district, will go on despite the controversy that has recently flared up around it. [AA Urbanisation]

Kenya: Slum Upgrade Welcome - Kenya's latest efforts towards upgrading slums into decent precincts for human occupation started yesterday with the relocation of the first batch of shanty dwellers to newly constructed flats adjacent to the Soweto area in Kibera, arguably Africa's biggest slum. [AA Urbanisation]

Kenya: China Pledges More Backing - China will support Kenya to overcome challenges posed by the current global economic crisis, incoming Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Deng Hongbo has said. [AA Urbanisation]

Kenya: Cost of Vice President's House Doubles to Sh380 Million - The cost of building an official residence for the Vice-President has doubled to Sh383 million after the original contractor was fired for delays and poor workmanship. [AA Construction]