MAPPING DIVISION

     The Mapping Division is responsible for the production and revision of topographical and thematic maps.  This involves cartographic compilation and lithographic printing of the following maps:-

• Topographical maps at scales of 1:50,000 and 1:250,000.
• Thematic maps depicting particular themes e.g. tourist facilities, medical facilities, physical features, rainfall, administrative boundaries; aeronautical charts, national parks etc.
• The National Atlas of Kenya.
• Township/Urban maps mainly for the City of Nairobi, Municipalities, and other towns.

The Mapping Division comprises of the cartographic unit, photolithographic unit, topographical records office (this includes the Departmental Library).  The Division is headed by a Senior Assistant Director of Surveys deputised by an Assistant Director of Surveys.

The photolithographic unit is headed by the Chief Photolithographic Assistant, the Cartographic Unit by the Chief Cartographic Assistant and topographical records office by a records officer.

CARTOGRAPHIC UNIT

This is the unit that prepares manuscripts for production of large and small-scale topographic maps, township maps, thematic maps, tourist maps and the national Atlas.  This has been reorganised into six sections namely:-

• Topographical Mapping section
• Thematic/Atlas Mapping Section
• Urban/Township Mapping Section
• Bulk Map Stores
• Public Map Office
• Topo Records and Library

1. Topographical Mapping Section

This is the Drawing Office which prepares the manuscripts for the 1:50,000 and 1:100,000 topographic maps.  Presently these are the basic mapping scales in the country and are constructed directly from machine plots from aerial photographs through photogrammetric plotters.

The 1:50,000 mapping scale covers the southern and western parts of the country and comprises of 558 sheets out of the required 827 sheets to cover the whole country.  The 1:100,000 mapping scale covers the northern and north-eastern parts of the country.  There are 110 sheets at this scale.   However, the production of these series were suspended.

1:250,000 Scale maps are compiled from 1:50,000 Scale series by highlighting the details required and reducing the selected details to 1:250,000 scale using cameras.

Out of 48 map sheets required to cover the whole country 47 of them have been published and are referred to as East African Y501 and Y503 series.

2. Thematic/Atlas Mapping Section

 This section prepares maps with particular themes and vary from 1:3,000,000 scale to 1:10,000 scale.  The maps are usually compiled from data supplied by various organisations using the topographical maps as the base maps.

The Department prepares and publishes the Kenya National Atlas of Kenya.  At present the 5th Edition of the Atlas was printed and published and is available to the public in both soft and hard copies.

3. Urban/Township Mapping Section

These are prepared for cities, municipalities and towns.  They may show cadastral boundaries among other features.  The maps are mainly drawn at 1:10,000 scale but where developments demand they may be prepared at larger scales up to 1:2,500 scale.

At present 14 cities, municipalities and townships have been mapped.  One municipality namely Nakuru has been digitised at scale 1:10,000 on experimental basis and its data is now available on compact disc (CD).

4. Bulk Map Store

 This section receives, stores and distributes maps and other publications to the Public Map Office, the Provincial Survey Offices and other offices for sales and as per various requests.

5. Public Map Office

The office stocks all the maps and atlases for sale to other organisations and the public.  The prices of the maps vary from Kenya Shillings four hundred (KShs.400.00) to seven thousand and five hundred (KShs.7,500.00) for the atlas.

6. Topo Records and Library

 This is the section responsible for safe keeping of all the map repromats and copies of the printed maps and atlas.  A number of historical maps and charts can be found in the section.
The section also manages the Departmental Library which has several volumes of books, periodicals and bulletins.

Attached as an Appendix ‘B’ please find stock taking report of all maps in the Bulk Map Store as at February, 2005.

PHOTOLITHOGRAPHIC UNIT

This Unit provides printing services to the department and has high precision printing machines that are capable of producing large formats of work upto AO size.  The unit is divided into the following sections namely: Planning, Studio, Photomechanical and Press.


1. Planning Section

The section deals with costing, estimating, planning and designing of manuscripts before printing.  It also provides typesetting services for maps and the products of the department.  It is equipped with computers typesetting machines and scanner for this purpose.

2. Studio Section

This section carries out photographic processes and equipped with large format cameras, photoenlargers and photocontact printers.  The section produces photographic films in negative and positives, photoenlargements on bromide paper and films.  It also produces diapositives for use in photogrammetric instruments.

3. Photomechanical Section

This is the pre-press section and has two subsections with one dealing with astrofoil and the other preparing plates for printing machines. 

The astrofoil subsection prepares reversals which are used in plate making.  They also produce maps on astrofoil for proof-reading through dye and clean process.

The section has plan printing machines which reproduce dyeline prints from transparencies.  These prints are very popular with local farm owners who use them to identify their property boundaries.

4. Press Section

The press section is equipped with printing presses of various sizes that can print on paper sizes varying from A3 to AO.  For final finishing the section has guillotines folding machines, perforators, drilling and punching machines.