Landlords in Nairobi's six estates are in limbo on the fate of their apartments after the Nairobi County government announced a crackdown.
Apartments in the earmarked areas risk demolition lest mass repairs are conducted to ensure the safety of tenants.
The estates listed for audit include Pipeline, Tassia, Kayole, Dandora, Mwiki, Dagoretti and other areas within the named locations.
On Wednesday, February 15, Nairobi County's Built Environment and Urban Planning Chief Officer, Patrick Analo, stated that different stakeholders would be involved in the exercise.
According to Analo, a multi-agency committee comprising representatives from the National Construction Authority (NCA), Urban Planning Directorate, and National Building Inspectorate will be contracted during the exercise.
Their core mandate will be to establish if the apartments and other buildings in Pipeline, Tassia, Kayole, Dandora, Mwiki, and Dagoretti are safe for Nairobi residents.
Additionally, the team would research if the materials used to construct different apartments met the required standards.
The findings will determine whether the buildings will be demolished or given directives to repair them.
"Those that will meet the minimum requirements standards of building code and other requirements will be given approval under the framework of regularisation," Analo stated,
"Those that will not meet the structural integrity will be advised accordingly including adjustments and modification or even demolition," he added.
To further protect Nairobi residents, stakeholders advised the county and the National Construction Authority to do due diligence before approving building plans.
The stakeholders noted that early detection and well-thought plans were key to addressing cases of building collapse in Nairobi and adjacent counties.
According to Built Environment Report, the Nairobi Metropolitan Region recorded approximately 13 collapsed buildings in 2022.
The report noted that a county housing deficit necessitated house collapse cases.
"As a result, developers have capitalized on the shortage of housing in the country and have erected buildings hastily and without caution, especially in urban areas," the report read in part.
"Notably, developers are seen to focus on saving money at the expense of the quality of the projects. This has heavily contributed to issues such as poor workmanship, non-compliance with building standards and impunity during construction," further indicated.
However, the Architectural Association of Kenya vowed to collaborate with the county to reduce cases of building collapse in the city.
