Embakasi Pipeline Explained

Official Name:	Pipeline
Pushpin Map:	Kenya
Pushpin Label Position:	bottom
Pushpin Map Caption:	Location of Pipeline in Kenya
Coordinates:	-1.3194°N 36.8961°W
Subdivision Type:	Country
Subdivision Name:	Kenya
Subdivision Type1:	County
Subdivision Name1:	Nairobi City
Subdivision Type2:	Sub-county
Subdivision Name2:	Embakasi
Unit Pref:	Imperial
Population As Of:	Estimate
Population Density Km2:	auto

Pipeline is a slum-like neighbourhood in Embakasi in the city of Nairobi. Located within the larger Eastlands area of Nairobi, it is approximately east of the central business district. It has earned a reputation for its poor infrastructure, coupled with overcrowded flats, narrow streets, littering, as well as its poor drainage system.

Location

Pipeline is located approximately southeast of Nairobi's central business district, west of the Outer Ring Road within the Eastlands area in Embakasi. It borders another slum, Mukuru kwa Njenga, other low-income tolow middle-income such as Fedha and Kware, and the middle class suburb of Imara Daima. Electorally, Pipeline is placed under Embakasi South Constituency; the whole constituency is within the Embakasi Sub-county.

Overview

Pipeline Estate has over the years become synonymous with a concrete slum for its poor infrastructure and uncontrolled tenements.^[1] Overcrowded high-rises set up side by side define the estate's skyline, narrow streets, poor drainage systems and poor garbage collection.^[2] The estate attracts low-income earners because of its affordability.^[3] The neighbourhood has seldom set aside open spaces that can be used for recreation, expansion of roads and development of social amenities.^[4] As space in Pipeline ran out, uncontrolled development spread out to the neighbouring poorer Kware Estate.^[5] The neighbourhood population is alarmingly high, accommodating approximately 100,000 residents without a single public primary school.^{[6] [7]}

As of 2019, Pipeline together with Kware have a population of 166,517, with 87,056 of them being male and 79,439 being female. The neighbourhood has a population density of 106,445/km² in a land area of 1.6km², the highest after Huruma and Madiwa.^[8]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Thronjo . Paul . Nairobi’s darkest estate: Where tenants use torches during the day . 13 November 2022 . The Standard . en.
2. Web site: Odongo . David . Why Nairobi’s Pipeline estate is an accident waiting to happen . 13 November 2022 . Standard Entertainment . en.
3. Web site: Jalango . Irvin . Pipeline estate is a facade of what Nairobi will be . 13 November 2022 . Standard Entertainment . en.
4. Web site: 21 August 2022 . Nairobi Pipeline estate: Where children are forced to play on rooftops . 13 November 2022 . Citizen Digital . en-KE.
5. Web site: 15 February 2021 . How Pipeline estate became the laughing stock of Nairobi . 13 November 2022 . Nation . en.
6. Web site: 14 March 2016 . Alarm over high population in Pipeline Estate . 13 November 2022 . Nairobi News . en-US.
7. Web site: 12 October 2022 . Concern as Nairobi’s populous estate has no public primary school . 13 November 2022 . Citizen Digital . en-KE.
8. Web site: 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume II: Distribution of Population by Administrative Units . 28 March 2020 . Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. 247.