Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja, on Wednesday, April 26, made a deliberate move to rid the city of houses that pose a danger to tenants.
In a meeting with his Executive Committee, it was agreed that poorly constructed apartments caused unnecessary deaths.
Nairobi County Executive further approved the Regularisation of Unauthorised Developments Bill to ensure that regularised constructions meet the required standards under the development framework.
"It will provide a framework for enforcement action against developments that do not comply with the provisions, and also ensure the provision of basic facilities and infrastructure to the residents of the concerned areas within Nairobi County," read part of the statement.
Sakaja underlined that the eastern part of the city was crammed with buildings whose developers did not apply for or receive development approval.
"Some buildings have poor ventilation and lighting, as well as poor waste disposal.
"Others have encroached on wayleaves and easements, while others are built on ecologically fragile land like riparian reserves or abandoned quarries that make habitation unsafe," Sakaja stated.
The Regularisation of Unauthorised Developments Bill will restore sanity by sensitising developers on the importance of seeking development permission prior to construction.
"It will also help create a database of all unauthorised developments and establish the level of safety of the built environment within the county," Sakaja added.
The governor as well highlighted that shortcuts, poor workmanship, and impunity during construction were the main reasons multi-storey buildings collapsed.
Requisite laws, he added, will address the questions that had since arisen on the structural integrity of buildings being built in many parts of the city.
Sakaj's administration also observed that property developers seem to have capitalised on the housing shortage that had been witnessed in the city, hence leading to the construction of incautiously erected buildings.
In January 2023, the World Bank reported that Kenya was facing a housing deficit of at least two million houses, with an annual increase of 200,000 units annually.
