Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has ordered owners of buildings in the city to repaint their structures within a mere 14 days or risk being closed down.
Through a statement issued on October 7, the county government warned property owners, tenants, and property management agents who will not have achieved compliance to face prosecution.
To encourage compliance within a short time, the county has waived repainting permit fees during the period.
The directive, signed by Acting County Secretary Godfrey Akumali, targets buildings in the Central Business District (CBD), Westlands, Upper Hill, Ngara, Kirinyaga Road, and all approved shopping centers.
The move is part of ongoing efforts to improve public health standards and give the city a cleaner and more modern look.
“This notice takes effect immediately and will exist for just fourteen days,” the announcement said. “Non-compliance will result in closure and prosecution under Sections 115, 118, and 126 of the Public Health Act.”
Urban renewal and sanitation are atop the agenda of the Sakaja administration. There will be no excuse or delay, officials warned.
The new directive follows a previous one in January, where Governor Moses Kuria ordered landlords in different neighborhoods among them Westlands, Upper Hill, Ngara, Uhuru Highway, Haile Selassie Avenue, University Way, and Kirinyaga Road to repaint their buildings within 90 days.
County Chief Officer for Public Planning Patrick Analo threatened then that anyone failing to act would face the law.
Under Section 118(b) of the Public Health Act, county governments are required to ensure that substandard structures don’t pose any threat to public health.
The repainting order is part of a larger citywide cleaning drive. Over the past few months, the Sakaja government has suppressed street vendors operating in sections of the CBD, insisted that business people ensure their surroundings are clean near their establishments, and prohibited noisy sound systems that are a nuisance to the public peace all in an attempt to give Nairobi its sheen.
