Traders and other businesses operating on national highway reserves are given 30 days by the Government to pull down all illegal structures, billboards, signboards, and advertisements.
In a notice issued on Tuesday, November 25, KeNHA expressed concern over increasing cases of encroachment onto road reserves and warned that the habit continues to pose a hazard to motorists and pedestrians.
Acting Director General Luka Kimeli ordered that anyone with unapproved or expired signage or structures on road reserves should remove them immediately.
“All persons with unlawful structures, businesses, developments including unapproved and unrenewed billboards, advertisements, and directional signs on road reserves are hereby required to remove them within thirty (30) days from the date of this notice,” read the public notice.
KeNHA warned that failure to comply will attract enforcement action; this includes demolition of the structures and recovery of costs incurred during the operation.
The authority called on affected individuals or businesses that may be in doubt over their compliance status to reach out for clarity. KeNHA maintained that the exercise was part of a broader effort towards improving road safety and ensuring clear road corridors along major highways across the country.
In a related case, early in August, five people were arraigned before a Mombasa court and pleaded guilty to charges of encroaching on a road reserve.
They were accused of ignoring several notices issued in April this year, which directed them to vacate a portion of the Mombasa–Nairobi highway.
“The accused defaulted on vacation notices issued on 4th April 2025 along Mombasa–Nairobi Highway (A8). Their actions contravened Section 49(1)(a) read with Section 49(6) of the Kenya Roads Act, No. 2 of 2007,” KeNHA said, arguing that there was a need to ensure public infrastructure is not misused.
These new directives come just weeks after the Kenya Urban Roads Authority announced plans to dismantle illegal signboards and other unauthorized structures along the Eastern Bypass, citing their safety risks and negative impact on the city’s appearance.
