Nairobi County begins citywide inspection as 14-day repainting deadline expires
The operation, led by the Health and Nutrition department, targets commercial zones including the CBD, Westlands, Upper Hill, Ngara and Kirinyaga Road, where property owners have lagged in maintaining their premises.
Nairobi buildings that have ignored a 14-day ultimatum to repaint will today, Monday, November 10, 2025, face possible closure or prosecution as county officers begin a citywide enforcement drive.
The operation, led by the Health and Nutrition department, targets commercial zones including the CBD, Westlands, Upper Hill, Ngara and Kirinyaga Road, where property owners have lagged in maintaining their premises.
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Confirming the operation, Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Health and Nutrition, Suzanne Silantoi, said officers will inspect all buildings, including those that have already been repainted.
“From today, our officers will commence compliance checks on all buildings, both those that have been repainted and those that have not. We issued a 14-day ultimatum, and while many have responded positively, a number are still lagging,” Silantoi said.
The operation will also cover tenants and management agents in major shopping centres across the city. Non-compliant buildings risk penalties, including statutory closure or prosecution.
“Restoring Nairobi’s image as a clean, modern African capital is paramount. This is the capital city, and we must reflect that in how our buildings look,” Silantoi said.
To encourage compliance, Governor Johnson Sakaja waived repainting permit fees to reduce the financial burden on property owners during the current tough economic times.
The repainting directive is grounded in the Public Health Act (Cap 242) and the Physical and Land Use Planning Act (2019), which require buildings to meet minimum public health and maintenance standards.
Silantoi lauded property owners who have already repainted their buildings, while noting that some premises have not been touched since their construction decades ago.
“Some of the buildings have not been repainted since they were constructed decades ago,” she said.
The enforcement drive aligns with renewed efforts by both the national and county governments to restore Nairobi’s dignity and put the city in order. President William Ruto and Governor Sakaja are expected to sign a national-private sector partnership agreement this month to improve services and the city’s image across multiple sectors.
Governor Sakaja highlighted the need for collaboration to address issues beyond the county’s sole capacity.
“Partnering with the private sector for development is highly encouraged. For example, after cleaning the city and collecting garbage taken to Dandora, we are partnering with a Chinese company to produce 45 megawatts of power. We already have an agreement with the government through the Ministry of Energy on a power sale arrangement,” he said.
City residents should expect to see inspectors moving through the main commercial areas as the county steps up efforts to ensure Nairobi reflects its status as a vibrant, modern African capital.
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