New Nairobi mayor

New mayor is not expected to make much difference to the capital

A new mayor has been elected in Nairobi after his predecessor stepped down last week admitting he was not up to the job.

Mr Dick Waweru, who has already served as mayor between 1992 and 1997. was elected by councillors dominated by the opposition Democratic Party.

The city council cannot spend more than 10,000 Kenyan shillings [$127] without the authorisation of the local government ministry

Former mayor John Ndirangu

Former mayor John Ndirangu, also from the DP, did not seek re-election at the end of his two-year term, saying he was frustrated at the failure of central government to help in delivering decent public services.

He also said the job carried no power to improve services or fight corruption because laws concentrate authority in the hands of national government.

Heaps of rubbish

The infrastructure in Nairobi, East Africa's biggest city is run-down.

There are huge piles of rubbish waiting to be collected.

The roads are covered with potholes and council staff remain unpaid, due to poor revenue collection.

The council is accused of rampant mis-management in a city plagued by power cuts and water shortage.

But a BBC correspondent in Nairobi says Mr Waweru will stuggle to make much of a difference, because he will be dealing with the same council officers who are appointed by government.

And as long as central government controls the purse strings, the mayor is limited in what he can spend.

More than 3m people live in Nairobi and 70% of them live in slum areas. An estimated 60% live in abject poverty.