Narok County has issued a stern directive to halt all unauthorised construction, demanding that building plans be submitted to the county government within 30 days.
This decisive action comes as the county grapples with frequent flooding and seeks to enhance building standards to withstand the seasonal deluge that has wreaked havoc in the region.
In a notice published on July 31 in the Daily Nation, County Secretary J.M. Ole Tuya declared, “All unauthorised construction must cease immediately from the date of this Public Notice. All building plans must be submitted to the County Executive Committee Member for Lands, Housing, Physical Planning, and Urban Development within thirty (30) days for review.”
The county’s mandate stipulates that only the County Government of Narok, through its Executive Committee Member for Lands, Housing, Physical Planning, and Urban Development, can approve building plans. This decision aligns with Section 57 of the Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019. Non-compliance with these regulations will lead to sanctions as detailed in Section 57(3) and (4) of the Act, aimed at ensuring order in the construction sector.
Furthermore, developers who have commenced construction without proper approvals are now required to submit their applications and supporting documents for compliance verification within the same 30-day period.
Failure to do so will result in legal action under Section 57(2), (3), and (4) of the Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019. The Section states, "A person who commences any development without obtaining development permission commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred thousand shillings (Ksh500,000) or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two months or to both."
The directive points to the county’s increasing concern over the unchecked rise of unauthorised buildings.
Tuya highlighted the issue, stating, “We have observed with great concern that buildings are being erected without prior mandatory approvals from the relevant County Government departments.”
This crackdown follows a period of severe flooding that has significantly impacted Narok County. As of January, over 50 critical infrastructure projects were reported to have been destroyed by the heavy rains, according to John Gatua, the County Executive Committee Member in Charge of Roads and Infrastructure.
The county has been under intense scrutiny recently, notably after a controversial ban on the use of private cars in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
In a press release from June, Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu justified the ban, citing issues such as noise pollution and unauthorised gatherings within the reserve. The governor highlighted concerns over littering and violations of park regulations by private vehicle users.
Ntutu’s statement emphasised, “Private car users have displayed blatant misconduct inside the park, contravening regulations and endangering both themselves and the park’s ecological balance.”
