Paint CBD houses or face risk, says Nairobi
An aerial view of part of Nairobi's central business district. In July, the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) gave building owners in the capital 60 days to repaint their buildings or risk prosecution for non-compliance.
What you need to know:
- Members warn that it will not be business as usual for landlords who keep ignoring county notices
- The regional assembly is also preparing a Bill to make it mandatory for building owners to give their premises afresh coat after every three years.
- The Public Health Cap 242 and County by-laws require property owners within the city to repaint their buildings after every two years.
- In July, NMS gave building owners in the capital 60 days to repaint their buildings or risk prosecution for non-compliance.
Property owners in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) face arrest for failing to repaint their premises.
This is after the Nairobi County Assembly passed a motion authorising Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) and Nairobi County government to enforce repaint orders in the city centre.
The regional assembly is also preparing a Bill to make it mandatory for building owners to give their premises afresh coat after every three years.
The MCAs decried failure by building owners in the city centre to comply with public notices by both NMS and City Hall to repaint their buildings, saying the defiance must come to an end.
In a motion by Kilimani MCA Moses Ogeto, the county legislators want the two offices to enforce provisions of section 118(b) of Public Health Act Cap 242 to arrest and hand over for prosecution, non-compliant owners.
The Public Health Cap 242 and County by-laws require property owners within the city to repaint their buildings after every two years.
Liable to prosecution
“Realising that the county has a responsibility to make laws and policies in people’s interest which they hold in trust, this assembly resolves that the county executive and NMS move with speed to enforce the aforementioned on repainting of buildings in the county,” said Mr Ogeto.
“I know a Bill is coming to that effect which is going to make it mandatory that if you own a building in Nairobi, after every 36 months, it must be repainted so that at least the face of the City of Nairobi can be maintained,” added Minority Leader Michael Ogada.
In July, NMS gave building owners in the capital 60 days to repaint their buildings or risk prosecution for non-compliance.
NMS Director General Mohammed Badi said the owners will be required to use colours that were originally approved for the building plans by Nairobi County government with any changes having to be approved by NMS.
The Maj Gen pointed out that those who fail to comply with the directive shall be liable to prosecution under the relevant sections of the Public Health Act particularly Cap 242 Section 118(b) on maintaining buildings clean.
