RESEARCH ARTICLE

 

Use of photo-elicitation interviews to explore urban landscape identity in the context of urban renewal changes, a case of Kisumu City, Kenya

 

 

Edwin K'oyoo

PhD student in Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, University of Pretoria, South Africa. Email: <edwinkoyoo@gmail.com>, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7049-1034

 

 

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ABSTRACT

Photo-elicitation interviews (PEIs) have been used in landscape studies with the aim of eliciting participant opinions through memories and feelings associated with images. PEI was used in this study to identify and discuss the main aspects that constitute the formation of the urban landscape identity of Kisumu City, Kenya. A total of 12 participants were purposively selected based on professions, sex and age, availability, and willingness to participate. The aim of this study was to elicit resident opinions about ongoing and completed urban renewal projects within Kisumu City, Kenya. First, the participants were asked which photos represented the city identity and contributed to its image. The responses were categorised under physical, sociocultural, and economic aspects. They were also expected to comment on the outcome of the ongoing and completed upgrading within the central business district of the city. The researcher took 28 photos of the various features within Kisumu City for discussion. PEI was used as a method to collect data in addition to other methods such as surveys whose findings have been presented in other papers. The findings revealed that Lake Victoria and its scenery were important both as a natural feature of the physical environment and for sociocultural contribution to the image of Kisumu City. Other features identified for both of these aspects were parks and public buildings within the city. The meaning aspect was also associated with these features with varying strengths. The vast majority of the participants were satisfied with the new look of Kisumu City, especially the revamped streets after the renewal projects.

Keywords: Changes, Kisumu City, photo-elicitation interviews, postcolonial, urban landscape identity, urban renewal

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ABSTRAK

Foto-ontlokkingsonderhoude (PEI) is in landskapstudies gebruik met die doel om deelnemermenings te ontlok deur herinneringe en gevoelens wat met beelde geassosieer word. PEI is in hierdie studie gebruik om die hoofaspekte wat die vorming van die stedelike landskapidentiteit van Kisumu City, Kenia uitmaak, te identifiseer en te bespreek. Altesaam 12 deelnemers is doelbewus gekies op grond van beroepe, geslag en ouderdom, beskikbaarheid en bereidwilligheid om deel te neem. Die doel van hierdie studie was om inwoners se menings oor lopende en voltooide stedelike hernuwingsprojekte binne Kisumu City, Kenia, te ontlok. Eerstens is die deelnemers gevra watter foto's die stadsidentiteit verteenwoordig en tot sy beeld bygedra het. Die response is gekategoriseer onder fisiese, sosio-kulturele en ekonomiese aspekte. Daar is ook van hulle verwag om kommentaar te lewer oor die uitkoms van die deurlopende en voltooide opgradering binne die sentrale sakekern van die stad. Die navorser het 28 foto's van die verskillende kenmerke binne Kisumu City geneem vir bespreking. PEI is gebruik as 'n metode om data in te samel bykomend tot ander metodes soos opnames waarvan die bevindinge in ander artikels gepubliseer is. Die bevindinge het aan die lig gebring dat die Victoria-meer en sy natuurskoon belangrik was as 'n natuurlike kenmerk van die fisiese omgewing en vir sosio-kulturele bydrae tot die beeld van Kisumu City. Ander kenmerke wat vir beide hierdie aspekte geïdentifiseer is, was parke en openbare geboue binne die stad. Die betekenisaspek is ook met verskillende sterktes met hierdie kenmerke geassosieer. Meeste van die deelnemers tevrede met die nuwe voorkoms van Kisumu City, veral die opgeknapte strate na die hernuwingsprojekte.

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1. INTRODUCTION

Photo-elicitation interview (PEI), according to Bignante (2010: 2), is research that depends on the simple principle of using images to gather information. The images include photos, videos, paintings, or any other visual representation. These are used in an interview to gather data, by asking the selected informants to comment on them. Either the researcher or the selected informants may provide the images. Bignante (2010: 2) posits that, in PEI, the researcher assumes that the selected images and the meanings attributed to them by the interviewees do not correspond to those gathered in a verbal inquiry. The PEI sessions usually elicit emotions from the respondents. Bignante (2010: 3) further states that PEI represents a useful tool to ensure triangulation with information collected from the different data-collection tools. PEI has the potential to bring different thoughts from the interviewees into the research (Bignante, 2010: 3).

PEI has been used in research across many disciplines, for example, by Torre and Murphy (2015) in education; Loeffler (2004) in leisure studies; Bignante (2010) as well as Stewart, Liebert and Larkin (2004) in landscape research, and Collier (1967, 1987) in anthropology, all with a view to eliciting participant opinions through memories and feelings associated with the images during the interview. This ensures that more data is extracted. Shao et al. (2020) most recently used PEI in landscape research on local identity identification and assessment.

 

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Identity studies

Stobbelaar and Pedroli (2011:334) opine that identity is a concept considered in various facets. This has implications for the way in which different concerned people are considered. Different researchers have used several terms with overlapping components. These include place identity, urban identity, and, recently, landscape identity. Over the years, several authors have propounded a number of theories on identity that try to explain how individuals define, construct, and modify their identity in relation to place, landscape, or city. 'Place', according to Speller (2000:22), is a space within which a person has interaction and meanings that are associated with it. Prominence of place in architectural and geographical disciplines was acquired through the research by Norberg-Schulz (1979), who propounded the "genius loci", the spirit of place, as an existing concept. Hauge (2007: 3) argues that 'place' as a concept appears to be unclear. This author advocates for terminologies such as 'dwelling', 'landscape', 'city', or 'neighbourhood' that appear more precise. However, 'place' is difficult to replace, due to the lack of a common term across the disciplines interested in identity research. Stobbelaar and Pedroli (2011: 325) posit that place identity is associated with a smaller area within a given landscape that refers to the uniqueness and striking objects that can easily be recognised as existing within a place. Relph (1976) focuses on the identity of the people of, and with a given place. Identity of a place refers to persistent sameness and unity which allows that place to be differentiated from others (Relph, 1976). Relph (1976: 45) describes place identity in terms of three interrelated components, namely the physical setting, its activities, situations and events, as well as the individual and collective society meanings. People's experiences of a given place create the meanings associated with such places (Relph, 1976: 45).

Urban identity is another term that is often found in the literature and is mainly employed by Geography and Built Environment disciplines. The attributes pointed out to constitute urban identity are, however, similar to those of landscape identity in terms of meanings and memories from spatial, social, cultural, and economic dimensions. According to Kaymaz (2013: 748), an urban space with attached meanings, associated memories, and resultant identities for its users is well designed. Studies by Ujang (2012) and Kaymaz (2013) focus on urban identity and stress how important and necessary the identity in urban spaces is and that it undeniable, due to their extensive use by citizens. According to Okesli and Gurcinar (2012: 38, citing Orer [1993]), urban identity can be broken down into several sub-types that include environmental identity in terms of natural attributes and artificial attributes as well as social identity in terms of sociocultural, socio-economic, and psychological identity. Sociocultural identity is in terms of historical, demographic, and cultural characteristics. Beyhan and Gurkan (2015: 159) state that urban identity is composed of the natural and artificial elements, the sociocultural aspects of a city, and the environment. This points to similarity in the elements that also constitute and contribute to landscape identity discussed under landscape identity mentioned by authors such as Ziyaee (2018); Cheshmehzangi (2012); Okesli and Gurcinar (2012), and Relph (1976). Beyhan and Gurkan (2015) posit that urban identity is formed by elements in both the natural and artificial environments. Natural elements include geographical features, flora, climate, and topography. Artificial environment comprises buildings, monumental structures, paths in terms of streets and roads, city squares, and urban furniture. Lastly, the social, economic and cultural factors also shape urban identity in a given time (Beyhan & Gurkan, 2015: 160).

2.2 Aspects/Components of landscape identity

According to Shao et al. (2020); Ziyaee (2018); Okesli and Gurcinar (2012); Oktay (2006), as well as Stobbelaar and Hendriks (2004), the major components of the physical aspects/components of the landscape identity are the natural forms and the artificial components. Natural forms include the topography and landforms, vegetation, climatic conditions, and hydrography. Artificial components include buildings, structures, landmarks, sculptures, streets, sidewalks, squares, plazas, land-use pattern, and street furniture. Several authors, including Ziyaee (2018); Ramos et al. (2016); Okesli and Gurcinar (2012), as well as Stobbelaar and Pedroli (2011), concur that the aspects that form the sociocultural dimension of landscape identity include the demographic features of a given context in terms of population and literacy; the socio-economic features in terms of social and economic activities; the cultural characteristics in terms of cultural activities and beliefs, and in terms of the behavioural feature of social relationship activities. The meaning and perception aspect of landscape identity, according to Shao et al. (2020: 4), consist of the historical component that comprises historical buildings, and historical events; the aesthetic and perceptional features comprise the perceptions based on seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling. The last on meaning sub-component comprises the aspects of memory in terms of collective memory, individual memory, and place attachment. Shao et al. (2020: 12) posit that the memory aspects are significantly correlated with the positive landscape identity for the locals. The study concluded that the memory aspect is an important factor for the local residents to perceive local identity.

2.3 Operational definition of urban landscape identity

From the literature reviewed earlier, there seem to be common aspects that shape place, as well as urban and landscape identity with respect to physical aspects, social, cultural functions aspects and meaning attributes of the given place that all end up shaping memory associated with a given place. The definition of urban landscape identity for this study, therefore, is the residents' opinion and perception of the special features that help them differentiate between places, by creating images they can recognise. It encompasses the forms/physical, the functions/activities (social-cultural), and the meaning aspects. All three aspects combine to create memories for the residents.

The researcher in this study is justifying the adoption and use of the phrase 'landscape identity' instead of the phrase 'place or urban identity'. Shao et al. (2020) draw attention to landscape identity as the overall term that encompasses all other identities as sub-identities and that acts at different scales (for example, regional and local level). They posit that all these identities act within the landscape but at different physical scales. Stobbelaar and Hendriks (2004) concur that landscape identity is considered from different spatial scales such as place, region, county, or country. This research considered landscape identity at the city level within Kisumu City, Kenya, under the phrase 'urban landscape identity'. This study adopted aspects from authors such as Shao et al. (2020); Ziyaee (2018); Eren (2014), as well as Okesli and Gurcinar (2012: 38), in formulating what aspects constitute the formation of landscape identity as summarised in the definition above and the conceptual framework in Figure 1.

 

 

2.4 The importance of urban landscape identity

Boussaa (2018: 1) states that world cities strive to remain unique and distinct in a bid to captivate and retain markets at global level through trading and tourist activities. World threats from homogenisation, caused by globalising trends in city developments, have caused the need for cities to have their own identity to the level of world recognition and concern. Lynch (1960) emphasises the need for identity of the city as important, as it provides consistency between the 'constant' and 'changing' elements of the city. The changing elements in a city are the people and the events that give a specific city its uniqueness and distinctiveness. Relph (1976) highlights the need for human identity, arguing that there is a deep human need for associations with places that are considered significant. If placelessness is left to continue without any challenge, then the future environments will not matter to the people. This will have a negative effect on places and the people themselves in terms of lack of place identity and associated sense of belonging to the various places. This is supported by Ujang (2012: 165). Boussaa (2018: 2) concurs with Relph (1976), and concludes that the need to maintain and reinforce urban identity in present cities is a matter of great concern. The emerging trends of globalisation that threaten to create similar urban landscapes, due to homogenisation, are the main cause of this concern. Boussaa (2018: 2) stresses the need to value, maintain, and reinforce urban identity, even with the reality of economic revitalisation that comes with urban renewal (Boussaa, 2018: 2).

2.5 Landscape identity and change

Stobbelaar and Hendriks (2004: 306) posit that both the people and the physical environment undergo changes over time. Seidl et al. (2021: 15) postulate that landscape identity is not fixed or permanent, as it undergoes changes over time despite originating from the characteristics of the spaces. Its change and re-establishment are a result of the actions and interactions between people and the environment in which they are found. This shows that it should be analysed from time to time, in order to establish the changes caused. In a study on landscape change, Antrop (2005: 21) states that the landscape cannot be static, as it represents the dynamic interactions between cultural and natural processes. Transformations on the landscape within a given city are driven by several interrelated factors, including globalisation in terms of trends and patterns; population growth in terms of rate and pattern; urbanisation patterns and speed; level of accessibility of the city; potential calamitous events; economic factors that drive the growth of the city; technological developments that are employed within various sectors of the city, and the cultural values of the people concerned that keep changing from time to time. The landscape change impacts on how various individuals perceive and attach value to their surroundings. This influences their ability to maintain connections with their everyday surroundings within which they interact. Transformations within the landscape influence how individuals engage with their environment. This affects interactions that enrich the residents' social connectivity within the landscape (Antrop, 2005).

 

3. STUDY AREA

The study was conducted in Kisumu City, the third largest urban area in Kenya (see Figures 2 and 3). Kisumu City is the main administrative centre and headquarters of Kisumu County and is 265 km north-west of Nairobi. It lies on the Eastern shores of Lake Victoria, the continent's largest freshwater lake, and is 1,146 metres above sea level and located 0^o6' south of the Equator and 34^o45' East (AFD, 2013). In 2022, the city covered an area of 417 km² (157 km² of water and 260 km² of land), with a population estimated at over 500,000 people (Wamukaya & Mbathi, 2019). According to KNBS (2019: 20), on Kenya's population and housing census 2019, the study area (Kisumu town area and its outskirts) falls within Kisumu Central Sub County that has a total population of 174,145 people, consisting of 84,155 males (48.3%), 89,985 females (51.7%), and 52,331 households. The Kisumu town area has a total population of 56,498 people and 17,258 households within a land area of 25.4 km². Sub-locations within the Kisumu town area include Kaloleni, Bandari, Southern, Northern, and Kanyakwar.

 

 

 

 

According to the City of Kisumu's Kisumu Urban Project (2019: 12),² the City of Kisumu designed and implemented the Kisumu Urban Project (KUP) from 2009 onwards with funding from the French Development Agency (AFD) to improve the residents' living conditions through various development projects. The main aim of the various projects was to improve urban infrastructure, public facilities, and spatial planning, and carry out slum upgrading in addition to modernisation of public policies to improve public service delivery through effective city management (City of Kisumu's Kisumu Urban Project, 2019). Consequently, several urban renewal projects were implemented in Kisumu City from 2019 to 2022. These include non-motorised transport (NMT) within the CBD that comprises the improvement of pedestrian walkways, parking spaces, construction of new markets, bus parks, rehabilitation of public parks, beautification of roundabouts, road islands, and proposed new high-rise affordable housing. The lakefront has also been earmarked for improvements in addition to the port which has been revamped and has its previously stalled activities on again.

Kisumu City has undergone changes, due to the ongoing and completed renewal projects and as such its identity may be affected. There is an urgent need to pay attention to landscape identity in an urban renewal project, in order to avoid loss of uniqueness and distinctiveness that is recognisable as a result of creating new, upgraded infrastructure. This occurs when prominence to the residents' views and interests is not taken seriously through public participation.

 

4. METHODOLOGY

4.1 Research design

Using a qualitative research design, this case study used photo-elicitation interviews (PEI) to elicit residents' opinions about ongoing and completed urban renewal projects within Kisumu City, Kenya, to identify and discuss the main aspects that constitute the formation of the urban landscape identity of the city. Shao et al. (2020) entirely depend on the use of PEI, using 180 degrees panoramic photos, with 60 participants to carry out their qualitative research. This was meant to identify and assess local identity in selected areas within a city. In this study, an interview checklist for each of the 12 PEI participants was used where all information provided by each participant was recorded and thematically analysed. Guest, Bunce and Johnson (2006) found that saturation occurred within the first twelve interviews and that the basic elements for metaphors were present from the sixth interview. Variability with data followed similar patterns (Guest et al., 2006).

4.2 PEI sampling

According to Kothari (2004), purposive sampling involves deliberately selecting the units to constitute a sample from a given universe. In this method, the researcher of the study purposively chose 12 respondents (KSM 1 to KSM 12), as per Table 1, to take part in the PEI and each was interviewed independently on site or offsite. The respondents included business persons within the CBD, university students within the city campuses, elderly residents within the city who have grown up and resided in Kisumu for a long period of time, and professionals purposively selected by the researcher based on availability.

 

 

Shao et al. (2020) state that various methodologies have provided guides for the selection of samples in qualitative studies. This is based on the research design. For a case study, using PEI interviews, it was recommended that between 12 to 20 participants is appropriate (Guest et al., 2006). In her study using PEI on the meaning of outdoor adventures from participants' experiences, Loeffler (2004) used 14 participants to discuss the images with the researcher. There was 100% response rate for the selected 12 PEI interviewees in this study.

4.3 Data collection

Between June and August 2021, the researcher took photos used in the PEI during field investigation on site for the ongoing and completed urban renewal project to constitute the primary data. Other photos of interest to the study were sought from the archives of the County Government of Kisumu Offices and from the internet to constitute secondary data. The first 24 photos were selected based on the City of Kisumu's Kisumu Urban Project report on Kisumu City sites of interest (see Figures 4 and 5; images 1-24). The other 4 photos were based on implemented urban renewal projects within the streets (see Figure 5; images 24-28). According to Shao et al. (2020), social researchers prefer to produce the PEI photos for the interviews by themselves. These are more effective in gathering feedback from the participants, as such data is more focused on the subject under investigation in the study (Shao et al., 2020).

 

 

 

 

The PEI sessions were carried out in September 2021. The respondents for the PEI were engaged in the interviews based on availability and willingness to participate in the sessions that lasted one hour. The researcher used structured interview questions (see Appendix A) geared towards the study objectives but was open to clarifications from the participants who gave further insights into the reason for their choices and opinions. The first part of the PEI checklist obtained the interviewees' demographic information such as age, gender, profession, duration of residence, and area of residence in Kisumu City. In the second part of the interview the PEI interviewees were presented with six A3 sheets with four photos each that were discussed one at a time in terms of which ones best represent the physical, sociocultural, and economic aspects of urban landscape identity in Kisumu City. A total of 24 photos were discussed about what constitutes Kisumu City's urban landscape identity. They were also asked to select the photos which, they opined, had features that best represent urban landscape identity, namely aesthetically appealing, historical development, individual memory, collective memory, and symbolic meaning contributing to the image and identity of Kisumu City. The last part using 4 photos on one A3 sheet (Figure 5; photos 25 to 28) involved the interviewees' opinions on the outcome of the various works carried out under the urban renewal projects such as street and roundabout beautification, NMT implementation, and a result of parks rehabilitation that are visible within the CBD to most of the residents and visitors.

According to the City of Kisumu's Kisumu Urban Project (2019: 342), Kisumu's sites of interest include parks such as the Jomo Kenyatta sports grounds, monuments such as the clock tower, religious buildings such as St Theresa's Catholic Church, the Sikh building, the government buildings such as the old provincial headquarters, the railway station, Kisumu port, the fire station, educational buildings such as the University of Nairobi building, Kisumu proposed historic and heritage core area consisting of old Asian architecture, hospital building such as the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, the Kisumu social hall, the Kenya National Library Services building, among others. In this study, PEI used photos of some of these sites of interest in addition to some photos purposively selected by the interviewer. These areas of interest considered urban landscape identity along any changes and modifications done to them, due to the ongoing or completed urban renewal works. The researcher selected most of the PEI photos based on the KUP Report (2019), with only a few other photos selectively selected based on the ongoing or completed urban renewal works. Figure 4 shows the sites of interest from the KUP's Report carried out in 2019.

4.4 Data analysis

The researcher used a cellular telephone to record the audio responses of the PEI participants. In addition to the audio recordings, notes were taken, as per the attached Appendix A checklist, in terms of the participants' number, name, aspect to discuss whether physical, sociocultural, and so on, photo number, feature chosen, and the reasons given for the choice. The responses were reported verbatim, and no software was used in the analysis. During the analysis, the researcher identified the themes that best answered the questions based on the broad questions of the study that were to be addressed by this method. After noting down the participants' gender, the researcher asked for their demographic characteristics and noted their age, profession/occupation, place of residence, and the area of residence in a table.

 

5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

This section first presents the interviewees' demographics, followed by the PEI participants' responses in terms of the various aspects that contribute to the image and resultant identity of Kisumu City. It first presents the responses on physical aspects, then on sociocultural aspects, and on the meaning aspects as attached to various purposively selected features.

5.1 Interviewees' demographics

Results on the demographic characteristics in Table 1 indicate that most of the interviewees were aged over 30 years (66.6%) and had lived for 10 years or more (75%) in Kisumu City, indicating that they are old enough and had lived long enough in Kisumu City to respond to questions about what constituted landscape identity, the resultant image of the city, and the possible changes to the city, due to urban renewal and its effects. Table 1 summarises the demographic characteristics of the 12 interviewees who were engaged in the PEI sessions.

5.2 Physical aspect (natural and man-made)

According to PEI interviewee KSM 1, the old town area, the clock tower, the University of Nairobi (UoN) building, as well as Lake Victoria and its scenery constitute the important physical aspects that influence and contribute to the image and identity of Kisumu. The explanation offered for this response was:

The UoN Building is important economically in terms of the large student numbers and jobs created within it. Lake Victoria is an important natural feature in Kisumu and is important economically, I prefer the new look of the Clock Tower as it is visually appealing (PEI interviewee KSM 1).

KSM 7 also stated that the clock tower and Lake Victoria were important physical aspects contributing to the image and identity of Kisumu City. The respondents explained how people used the Clock Tower for many years to give directions and for meetings within the nearby Central Square. Regarding Lake Victoria, the respondent stated that the close proximity and location near the CBD ensured easy access for both local and foreign tourists within the town.

KSM 3 also mentioned the clock tower, the central square, and the UoN building as the important physical aspects contributing to the image and identity of Kisumu City. KSM 8 also supported the clock tower as an important physical feature and, despite the improvements done on it, it was still recognisable and important.

Response by KSM 3 was:

The tlock Tower is an important physical feature and there was a need to preserve its original form and colour. The central square is an important socialization place and the current upgrade has made it even better. The UoN building consisting of the preserved former British Council Library building is very important for the image of Kisumu and the university CBD building in general is important in offering employment to many people. Lake Victoria is an important natural feature giving Kisumu City its lakeside status (PEI interviewee KSM 3).

KSM 4 opined that the old town area with its buildings, the central square, as well as Lake Victoria and its landscape scenery were important physical aspects contributing to the image of Kisumu City. The reasons given were that the old town buildings were an important reminder of the development of Kisumu from the start and needed to be preserved. Lake Victoria was an important natural feature that had many roles to play from transportation to forms of recreation and source of food. KSM 9, KSM 11, and KSM 12 supported Lake Victoria and its scenery as an important feature within Kisumu City because of its strategic location next to the CBD. This gives Kisumu City its status as a lakeside city and provides a vital inland port for the growth of Kisumu over the years. KSM 11 stated that Lake Victoria makes Kisumu City famous as a lakeside city in Kenya and East Africa.

As noted in Table 2, the emerging reasons for preference of the man-made features of the environment were mainly their architectural design attributes such as height and visual appeal. The natural feature of Lake Victoria was considered an important physical feature based on the various functions it was offering to the public such as a source of food and recreation. The largest public park was preferred, due to its attraction, good location within the city centre, and aesthetic appeal.

 

 

5.3 Sociocultural and economic aspects

According to PEI interviewee KSM 1, the features selected as important in contributing to Kisumu's identity in a sociocultural aspect are the central square, the Kisumu social hall building, and the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga sports grounds. KSM 7, KSM 9, and KSM 10 supported the central square as an important place for social interaction over lunch hours, for politics, and for job seeking. The reasons given by KSM 1 were:

The Central Square is important for offering space for socio-cultural interaction of people of diverse backgrounds, ages. The Social Hall has been very important in hosting various social and cultural events in Kisumu for many years including school and college events. The Sports Grounds within the CBD has been important in hosting various social and cultural events with large numbers (PEI interviewee KSM 1).

KSM 2 and KSM 3 also stated that the Kisumu social hall building and the Jaramogi sports grounds were important sociocultural contributors to Kisumu's identity. They mentioned that the sports grounds offer great recreation spaces for diverse people of different ages and that the social hall has been important for hosting social events and competitions since her primary school days.

The important contributors in the economic aspect were the UoN building, the old railways station, and the Kisumu municipal market building. KSM 9 and KSM 11 also supported the Kisumu social hall building as an important contributor in sociocultural interactions in Kisumu, thereby contributing to its image and identity.

KSM 3 opined that Lake Victoria and its scenery, the Jaramogi sports grounds and Maseno University were important economic aspects contributing to the image and identity of Kisumu City. According to the interviewee, Lake Victoria and the nearby port have been important to the economic growth and development of Kisumu, due to trade and transportation besides recreational activities. The sports grounds within the CBD have been generating revenue from the various gatherings and sporting events that it has hosted. KSM 9, KSM 11, and KSM 12 supported Lake Victoria and its scenery as an important meeting place for relaxation and enjoyment for both locals and foreign tourists.

According to KSM 4, the sociocultural aspect of Kisumu's image and identity is determined by the central square, the Jaramogi Oginga sports grounds, the National Library building, the Kisumu social hall, the municipal market, the Sikh temple building, and the Prosperity building. The central square is cited as being an important place for socialisation for diverse people of different races and ages. The Prosperity building is important for hosting many people who visit it for various government-related services and has been the tallest building in Kisumu for many years. The Sikh temple building is an important sign of the presence of the Asian community who are also citizens and residents within Kisumu City. The temple shows the integration of the different races over the years. The sports grounds are important for exhibiting the cultural traditions of the local Luo community, starting with the round main structure in the park. KSM 6, KSM 10, KSM 11, and KSM 12 also supported the Sikh temple as important for the same reasons as KSM 4.

KSM 5 also mentioned the Prosperity house, the central square, the Kisumu social hall, and the Jaramogi sports grounds as important contributors to the sociocultural image of Kisumu. According to the interviewee, all these offer great opportunities for socialisation and interaction, due to the large numbers they host for various functions and services. Important economic contributors to the image and identity of Kisumu include the old railway station, the port, the municipal market, and Lake Victoria. KSM 7 and KSM 10 also mentioned the Kisumu social hall and the Jaramogi sports grounds as important for the sociocultural image of Kisumu City.

KSM 8 also opined that the central square, the Kisumu social hall, and the Jaramogi sports grounds are important for the sociocultural image and identity of Kisumu City, due to the large numbers of diverse people they host during various functions. On economic contributors to Kisumu's image and identity, the respondent mentioned the old/Kisumu port, the old railway station, the municipal market, Lake Victoria and its scenery, and the Maseno University building. Both local and foreign visitors affirmed that Lake Victoria has been an important source of local fishing for food and for tourism for various reasons. KSM 7 and KSM 9 also supported Lake Victoria and its scenery, the municipal market, the old railways station, and the port as important economic contributors to Kisumu's image. These interviewees mentioned the old town area as important, due to the various forms of trade carried out mostly by elderly Asian residents, making the area a busy place. According to KSM 8, the railways is an important defining feature and infrastructure in Kisumu's historical development. KSM 7 commented:

Kisumu sprung and grew from the development of the railway line in 1901; you can't talk about Kisumu town without the mention of the railway line and the station within the CBD and the port which used to be managed by Kenya Railways in earlier years. The railway led to the growth and development of Kisumu City (PEI interviewee KSM 7).

Table 3 summarises the important elements of the sociocultural and economic environment chosen as important by interviewees.

 

 

As noted in Table 3, the features were selected as vital for sociocultural and economic importance based on their ability to bring various people of diverse backgrounds together for the utilisation and use of the various services they offer as public features of the environment within Kisumu City.

5.4 Meaning aspect

KSM 1 opined that the aesthetically appealing feature of Kisumu City was the central square, due to its new look, with cabro paving and seats provided. Regarding historical development and contribution to the identity of Kisumu City, the old court building and the Jaramogi Oginga sports grounds were the greatest contributors. The sports grounds were important, due to the various political and sociocultural events and gatherings that it has always hosted, while the old court building, being the first court building, was important in the historical development of Kisumu City to date. KSM 7, KSM 10, KSM 11, and KSM 12 also opined that the central square was an important contributor to the historical development of Kisumu. KSM 10 also stated that it should be improved further by introducing shades for the users, while KSM 11 supported the preservation and conservation of all the old trees planted there prior to the renewal changes.

KSM 2 and KSM 12 believed that Lake Victoria and the Prosperity building are aesthetically appealing and have a meaning aspect in contributing to the image of Kisumu City. Lake Victoria is chosen because it is appealing, due to its waters and immediate landscape scenery, while the Prosperity building is the tallest building in Kisumu with a good design. The important contributors to Kisumu's identity in terms of historical development were the old railway station, the Kisumu port, and the St Theresa Catholic Church building. The railway is cited as important in the genesis of Kisumu City when it opened the region for trade through port and railway transportation.

KSM 3 and KSM 11 also stated that the old railway station is an important aspect of Kisumu City's identity, as it gave rise to the existence of Kisumu and there was the need to preserve it, although KSM 10 opined that it did not make sense at the time of the study, as it stopped active operations but was important in the historical development of Kisumu. In addition, the Jaramogi Oginga referral hospital main building and the municipal market are important, according to KSM 3. The present-day referral hospital has an important history for the city and the country since its opening ceremony in 1969, when violence and commotion erupted in the presence of the then president and many lives were lost. The municipal market was important, having served from pre-independence colonial days and was still important for trade within the city. KSM 8 also mentioned the municipal market as important in the historical development of Kisumu. KSM 8 stated the importance of the city hall building in the historical development of Kisumu, as it was used by the colonial administration and was still used to host the governor and the city manager.

KSM 4, KSM 11, and KSM 12 stated that the Old Provincial Commissioners Headquarters building, in addition to the central square, the UoN building, the old railways station and the port, the municipal market, the Prosperity building, the fire station building, and the old court building were important in the historical development of Kisumu and, therefore, gave it meaning, thereby contributing to its identity. The UoN building, of which the former British Council Library building is presently part, was an important reminder of the British colonisers who built it and was among the oldest buildings with a rich history in Kisumu. The fire station was also important as it is the first and only building that served as a fire station from the earlier years of Kisumu. The Provincial Headquarters building was a good reminder of the past regime, when the provincial administration was very powerful in the country and its proposed preservation was a very good idea. The port was a good reminder of the previous years during active operation, when it connected the three East African countries through trade and transportation. Its current revamping should reignite its full benefits economically to Kisumu City.

The clock tower and the St Theresa's Catholic Church building are important in the historical development and contribute to Kisumu's identity. The Catholic cathedral was among the first churches to be built and had a unique design. Features of aesthetic appeal included the UoN building and Lake Victoria. Lake Victoria and its nearby natural scenery were good to look at from the CBD buildings, especially after the eviction and demolition of the structures that were used for business in its front. The UoN new high-rise building was appealing, due to its good appearance (KSM 6).

As noted in Table 4, the emerging reasons for the meaning attached to the selected features is due to their importance in the historical development of Kisumu City over the years; they present aesthetic appeal either for good scenery as natural aspects or for good architectural design. The features are a good reminder, due to several years' existence within Kisumu City. Hence, the high level of attachment and meaning associated with them.

 

 

6. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The PEI responses revealed that the vast majority of the participants opined that Kisumu City has a new image and landscape identity as a result of the upgrading works that were carried out. They opined that the streets are more beautiful, and much safer than previously. They attributed the various features with varying opinions on their contributions to the image and landscape identity of Kisumu City. The interviewees mentioned Lake Victoria, the central square, the CBD public green spaces, and some public buildings as the physical, sociocultural, and meaning aspects that contribute the most to the image and resultant urban landscape identity of Kisumu City.

This study adds to the importance of photo-elicitation interviews (PEI) as a research tool for data collection in landscape studies. The PEI sessions in this study elicited many opinions and discussions between the respondents and the researcher and gave the researcher a clearer understanding of the participants' knowledge of the history regarding the various city features that they discussed in the PEI photos. The findings from PEI support the survey findings of the study, as it elaborated on the reasons, motivations, and sentiments that resulted in the responses provided. This study, therefore, supports the use of PEI in landscape studies.

 

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Received: July 2023
Peer reviewed and revised: August 2023
Published: December 2023

 

 

1 DECLARATION: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
2 This source is not available online but can be requested from the author.

 

 

APPENDIX A: PHOTO-ELICITATION INTERVIEW SCHEDULE