Ruto gives Eastleigh property developers go-ahead for taller buildings

President William Ruto has given property developers in Eastleigh, Nairobi, the go-ahead to construct high-rises to meet the growing demand for accommodation.

Ruto said on Monday that, contrary to the past, when developers were subjected to height restrictions, his administration would approve the construction of multi-storey buildings.

"I am the commander-in-chief. In Eastleigh previously, you could not build more than a 12-storey building, but I have now declared that you can build up to 25- or 30-storey buildings [sic]," he said on a visit to Kiamaiko, Mathare Sub-county, where residents have been evacuated due to the heavy rain and flooding.

We commend the residents of Nairobi who voluntarily heeded the Government's call to move out of riparian reserves.

In Kiamaiko, Nairobi County, assessed the floods situation and committed to support all those affected. pic.twitter.com/jGeAnAycEJ

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) May 6, 2024

Eastleigh has been experiencing a construction boom in recent months, with modern residential apartments filling up quickly, which has caused a rent increase.

The presidential decree will likely encourage more developers to set up high-rises in the area as the value of land skyrockets.

In April, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja announced that the government had decided to scrap height restrictions to pave the way for taller buildings in some areas of the capital city.

"Before, there was a restriction on the heights of apartments, especially those close to the airport, from the Eastleigh Airbase, the reason being the need to evacuate the president in case of an emergency. I told the president that he would be stuck in traffic as you can no longer be evacuated through Eastleigh," the governor said.

"I requested the president to remove the limit, and he agreed. I am happy the height restriction has been removed. We are going to go up to 25 floors with the houses we are building," he said, also noting the need to create space to accommodate the increasing population.

The county chief clarified, however, that this development did not mean all building proposals would automatically be approved.

"There are other considerations, such as plot ratios, ground coverage, and the area's character, that will be considered. We can only go up, but we must do so responsibly, and we shall," he said.

He added that plans for a zoning framework tailored to specific areas, allowing for taller buildings of up to 75 floors, were under review.

An aerial view of Nairobi's Eastleigh area. (Photo: Abdirahman Khalif)

The governor also said that with the last Nairobi master plans, dating back to 1948 and 1976, an estimated population of 10.5 million living in the city by 2050 will struggle to get extra land for construction. hence the need to review the plans.

In an interview with Citizen TV on March 24, Sakaja described Eastleigh as "choked up" and suffering traffic delays due to height restrictions occasioned by the presence of the Moi military airbase.

"The reason we had that airbase was to evacuate VVIPs or the president in case of an emergency. I told him if he tried to use that route, he would get stuck because the place is choked up," he said.

He added that he engaged the president on the issue, who then consulted experts, a process that saw the restrictions lifted.

"The 25-floor [restriction was] area-specific (around the airbase), not a blanket restriction. We have proposed an area-specific zoning framework that goes up to 75 floors in some areas. It is before the assembly," he said.

"We also have substantial resources being deployed for sewer and water infrastructure expansion. Traffic, health, and educational facilities, as well as provisions for green spaces, will be mandatory in this framework."

A few days later, Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale directed that all individuals seeking to build on land close to military establishments must get approvals from the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).

"If you are the neighbour of a military camp and want to build, that which you want to build must be approved by the CDF because our premises are security installations," the CS said during a meeting with leaders and stakeholders at the Uasin Gishu County Assembly, where he went to settle a land dispute between the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and Kiplombe residents.

He added that even the Department of Defence adheres to these regulations.