A court order has temporarily halted the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) from removing billboards Billboards on James Gichuru-JKIA Road.
This followed a court case filed by the Outdoor Advertising Association of Kenya (OAAK) regarding a notice issued by the Kenya National Highways Authority on January 20, 2023, directing the removal of all billboards along the route.
Through a court document under the case number HCCHRPET/E066/2026, the Outdoor Advertising Association of Kenya petitioned the High Court against the Kenya National Highways Authority’s directive, arguing that the decision affected its members and should be subject to court review before any action was taken.
The Kenya National Highways Authority cited the illegality of some of the billboards, arguing that they were erected without the necessary approvals. The government also cited the issue of unpaid bills, with the city government claiming that some of the advertising firms owe the county more than Ksh500 million.
The government also accused the firms of collecting money from clients but failing to pay the necessary charges to the county government.
The officials claimed that the proliferation of billboards along the major roads had resulted in visual clutter and had raised safety concerns for users of the roads and pedestrians. In the past, the Governor of Nairobi, Johnson Sakaja, had supported the regulation of billboards, stating that the city needed order and planning.
However, the High Court ruled in favor of OAAK and barred KeNHA from implementing the removal order along the specified corridor until the matter is heard and determined.
Following the ruling, OAAK cautioned crane operators against engaging in the removal of billboards along the specified corridor, stating that such action would be a form of disobeying a court order.
The crane operators were cautioned that failure to comply with the court’s order would result in legal action.
The crane operators were also urged to take action against anyone who attempted to defy the court directive.
The matter is now set to be determined in a court of law, where the two parties will be required to state their positions on the matter while the future of the billboards along one of the busiest roads in Nairobi hangs in the balance.
