Property owners and developers in Nairobi have been given six months to regularise illegal buildings or risk demolition once the grace period expires in December.
The directive was announced by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja under the Nairobi City County Regularisation of Unauthorised Developments Regulations, 2025.
The program will cover buildings erected without necessary permissions, but which are considered structurally sound.
According to county officials, the intention is to offer developers a chance to sort their paper work and adhere to building regulations before the county starts its clampdown campaign.
Speaking during the launch of the regularization exercise, Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Built Environment and Urban Planning, Patrick Mbogo said that it was a great chance for developers to get out of legal complications and not face any more law enforcement measures in future.
Patrick Analo, Chief Officer for Urban Development and Planning said that the period for developers to sort out their structures would run from now until December, threatening that the county would enforce strict compliance of building regulations after that.
The regularization exercise would cover ongoing and completed projects.
It has been urged that the developers submit all documents they have regardless of whether approvals are incomplete or not.
Buildings that meet the required standards will first receive conditional approvals before being issued with full compliance certificates after all county requirements are met.
The regularisation process will cover issues such as building approvals, change of land use, occupation certificates, land subdivision and lease renewals.
However, the county has made it clear that structures built on public land, riparian areas, protected zones or those considered unsafe will not qualify for the programme.
Buildings constructed in defiance of court orders will also be excluded.
County officials say the initiative is aimed at reducing disputes between developers and enforcement officers, while also helping property owners secure legal documents needed for financing and ownership protection.
The move comes as Nairobi continues to face concerns over unsafe construction and a rise in building collapses that have caused deaths and destruction in recent years.
City Hall says tougher enforcement will follow once the six-month grace period comes to an end.
