City Affairs

Governor Sakaja lifts suspension on approval of buildings in Nairobi

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja addresses the media at City Hall, Nairobi on April 24, 2024. (Photo/ Nairobi City County Government)

By Maureen Kinyanjui | Tuesday, June 4, 2024

The governor suspended new approvals of building plans and excavations at construction sites due to the heavy downpour that was experienced in the city.

City Hall can now resume approving building plans across the county. This is after Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja on Tuesday lifted the suspension on approval of architectural building plans.

"Governor Sakaja has lifted the suspension on approval of architectural building plans that have been force since April 29, 2024," reads a statement.

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The governor suspended new approvals of building plans and excavations at construction sites due to the heavy downpour that was experienced in the city.

Sakaja has also lifted the suspension of approval requirements and exemption of fee payments on flooded-related repairs and renovations (walls and buildings).

Going further, the governor also ordered for auditing of construction sites and buildings approved over the last 24 months to ensure they are compliant. He further directed the establishment of a multi-stakeholder team to undertake building audits in the city.

Sakaja said the audit follows feedback that his administration has been receiving from stakeholders within the Built Environment sector.

"An audit of all buildings constructed over the last two years to establish their compliance to statuses will be commenced. This audit will also look at building plans approved but for which construction is yet to commence," he said. The audit started on May 13, 2023

The governor said the multi-agency committee tasked to undertake the audit will have 30 to 60 days to conclude the process and submit a report for implementation.

Sakaja said he intends to make the process inclusive as he called on all stakeholders, including technical representatives of professional and regulatory bodies to be part of the audit.

Arising from this, Acting County Secretary's office wrote to various stakeholders requesting them to forward names of professionals and representatives who will now form part of the task force.

The task force shall convene on June 12, 2024, to commence the audit exercise across the city.

The governor has also reconstituted the Urban Technical Committee (UPTC) by calling for new representation from stakeholders who include architects, urban planners, environmentalists and engineers' bodies, among others.

The UPTC, under the county's Lands, Housing, and Urban Planning sector, is tasked with reviewing and approving development applications.

It is a requirement of relevant sector-building laws that developers hire and retain the services of qualified and registered professionals to be involved in the project process from inception and during construction.

These professionals include Urban Planners, Architects, Surveyors, and Structural Engineers.