After Nairobi, Sakaja Issues Deadline To Landlords In Westlands, Upperhill, Ngara

Following Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja's directive that all owners and landlords of buildings within Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD) will have to paint their premises afresh within the next 90 days, it has emerged that owners and landlords of properties outside the CBD will also be required to adhere to the directive.

In a notice issued by the County Chief Officer for Public Planning, Patrick Analo, developers with properties within the entire Westlands Shopping Center area will also have to comply with the directive.

The order also targets developers with buildings within Nairobi's Upper Hill District area, which is known for hosting many government and private offices, key among them the Ministry of Health, Water, Transport and Kenya National Library. 

The notice went on to clarify the definition of buildings within the CBD that will be required to comply with the order. This includes buildings in Ngara, part of the CBD's downtown area, which has been included in the list of designated zones where developers here will have to comply with the directive.

A photo of Ngara matatu stage. /AMAZING AFRICAN PRINTS

Analo added that buildings located within the stretch of Uhuru Highway, Haile Selassie Avenue, University Way, and Kirinyaga Road will need to be repainted within the 90-day notice period that begins today, Tuesday, January 21.

“This notice/order takes effect immediately and shall lapse after 90 days, after this period, the County Government of Nairobi shall commence to undertake necessary legal enforcement against those who will not have repainted their buildings and provided security lighting for their premises,” the statement read.

The clarification comes days after Sakaja, who spoke during a Sunday, January 19 service at Christ in Africa Church, attended by Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), announced new measures aimed at restoring order and enhancing the city’s appearance.

This directive is in line with an ambitious plan to transform Nairobi’s Central Business District, focusing on infrastructure upgrades, improved aesthetics, and stricter enforcement of city regulations. The county boss also instructed the landlords to see to it that security lights are installed within 90 days.

The directive is in line with the law on public nuisances under Section 118(b) of the Public Health Act (Cap 242), which mandates devolved units to ensure that buildings with deteriorating paint do not pose health risks to the public.

Sakaja's announcement came after Nairobi City County Assembly Health Committee Chairperson Maurice Ochieng called on the county government to ensure all buildings are repainted. Ochieng noted that most buildings within the CBD were dilapidated on the outside, posing a health hazard to residents in the city.

The dirty and unpresentable state of most buildings in the CBD is also in violation of section 118b of Public Health Act Cap 242, according to Ochieng. “The law on public nuisances under Section 118b of Public Health Act Cap 242 is clear and compliance is therefore irreversible. We want to caution the building owners against ignoring these provisions on public health," he said.

Meanwhile, Sakaja's county government has been keen on a mass clean-up and rehabilitation of Nairobi, particularly the Central Business District.