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Paint or close: City Hall issues ultimatum to building owners
City Hall, the headquarters of the Nairobi City County Government.
Nairobi County has issued a 14-day ultimatum to property owners, tenants, and management agents to repaint and clean their buildings or face tough penalties, including closure and prosecution.
Through a directive signed by acting County Secretary Godfrey Akumali, the county said all premises within the Central Business District (CBD), Westlands, Upper Hill, Ngara, Kirinyaga Road, and all designated shopping centres must be repainted and general sanitation to meet public health and housing standards.
Mr Akumali said that the orders are in line with Public Health Act (Cap 242) and the Physical and Land Use Planning Act (2019), which is aimed at restoring the city’s aesthetic appeal while safeguarding public health.
“This notice takes effect immediately and remains valid for fourteen days only. Failure to comply will result in statutory closure orders and prosecution in line with Sections 115, 118, and 126 of the Public Health Act,” the notice reads.
The county stated that Governor Johnson Sakaja has waived the ordinary fees for repainting permits for the current period. The move is in line with the motion that had previously been passed by the County Assembly, seeking to uplift the status of the city by ensuring that the old buildings are repainted.
In a motion, Kilimani Member of County Assembly Moses Ogeto argued that Nairobi was the face of the country and hosts a number of UN offices, hence needed attractive outlook.
“Noting that that Nairobi County is the entry point into the country by international guests; further noting that the aesthetic characteristics of the city gives the first impression about its general organization and national character,” part of the motion reads.
The now-defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) had also issued a public notice to building owners, asking them to repaint their buildings as part of the Nairobi City beautification initiative.
However, this had not been achieved by the time the NMS's term ended in 2022.
All eyes are now on Governor Sakaja to see if he will take action at the last minute to improve the city's appearance.
