UPDATE: Starehe MP Charles Njagua commonly referred to as Jaguar on Thursday, July 30, termed the notice by Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director General Mohamed Badi directing property owners to repaint their buildings as ill timed.
The Jubilee MP noted that the people of Nairobi had suffered terribly in recent months having endured evictions, demolitions, and lockdowns and the repainting of the buildings would be an additional and unnecessary burden.
"I urge the DG NMS, Major General Mohamed Badi, to rescind this order. I believe that NMS should focus on equipping health facilities, building new hospitals, repairing roads, and reclaiming grabbed public land. These are priority areas. Repainting buildings is a good idea, but not at this time," he stated.
He signalled to a report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statitstics (KNBS) that had claimed that 68.4% of households failed to pay rent on time in April.
"Moreover, spot checks in the city reveal that most commercial buildings have an increasing number of empty offices and stalls. Where will landlords get the money to repaint the buildings?" he argued.
Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director-General Mohamed Badi on Wednesday, July 29, directed all Nairobi Building owners to repaint their establishments.
In a notice on local publications, the NMS boss gave building owners in the city 60 days (two months) to comply with the order.
"Pursuant to Public Health Act Cap 242 Section 118 (b) on maintaining buildings clean, and Cap 242 Section 118 (c) on roads, pavements and other forms of appurtenances; this Notice is hereby given to all the building owners in Nairobi City to repaint their buildings. This requirement shall be complied with within 60 days from the date of this public notice," the notice read in part.
He added that the colours used should be originally approved and changes must be approved by Nairobi Metropolitan Services prior to applying.
General Badi warned that those who had not complied with the notice upon the lapse of the days would be liable to prosecution under relevant sections of the Public Health Act.
The NMS Boss disclosed that they would continue with the repair of all pavements within the CBD, Upper Hill, Westlands, Ngara and in all sub-counties as well as undertake beautifying all roundabouts, road medians, open recreational spaces and all other greenery areas.
He further called on residents, individuals, organisations/ companies and building owners to partner with the Service in implementing various projects aimed at enhancing the aesthetic conditions of various streets, building frontages, pavements and green areas.
"Members of the public who are currently involved or wish to be involved in partnerships on beautification of such areas are invited to apply to the office of the Director General within a period of 14 days. All design specifications shall be provided by the office of the undersigned," he stated in a separate notice.
Earlier in July 2020, General Badi established a new urban planning technical committee to handle building plan approvals after disbanding both City Hall’s pre-technical committee and the Urban Planning Technical Committee in May 2020.
He further announced that all development permits issued under Governor Mike Sonko's administration as from March 18, 2020, would need to be re-submitted for fresh processing.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, all planning/development complaints, applications or hoarding, occupation, renovation permits and hard copy prints of approved drawings are to be submitted to the second floor, amphitheatre wing of Kenyatta International Convention Centre,” he stated.
