Mombasa launches major crackdown on unsafe buildings with 60-day ultimatum
According to the notice, properties occupied without inspection, a completion notice, and a certificate of occupation violate the law—a situation officials warn poses serious safety risks.
The Mombasa County Government has given developers, property owners, and agents a 60-day deadline to submit buildings constructed within the past five years for inspection and obtain certificates of occupation, or risk legal action, eviction orders, and possible closure.
In a public notice, the Department of Lands, Urban Planning, Housing, and Serikali Mtaani said the directive aligns with the Physical and Land Use Planning Act and related regulations, which require all completed developments to be inspected before being occupied.
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According to the notice, properties occupied without inspection, a completion notice, and a certificate of occupation violate the law—a situation officials warn poses serious safety risks.
“Occupation of any development without prior inspection, issuance of a completion notice, and a certificate of occupation constitutes a violation of the law and endangers public safety and lives,” read part of the directive signed by Mohamed Hussein, the County Executive Committee Member for Lands, Urban Planning, Housing, and Serikali Mtaani.
Prosecution
The county further warned that non-compliance within the stipulated period would lead to prosecution under existing laws, and tenants or occupants of non-compliant buildings may be evacuated.
The directive is part of a broader effort to tighten oversight of construction standards and curb unsafe buildings—a problem linked to structural collapses and fatalities in different parts of the country.
Property owners and agents have been asked to visit the Office of the County Director, Physical and Land Use Planning, at Bima Towers during official working hours to initiate the inspection process and secure certification.
Although the county has not disclosed how many buildings will be affected, officials said the inspection drive will prioritise developments that have not been vetted since completion, especially in rapidly growing urban areas where enforcement has been weak.
The latest directive is expected to pressure developers and landlords to regularise their properties or face legal and financial consequences as the county moves to strengthen safety and compliance in the fast-growing coastal city.
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