The Nairobi City County Government has intensified a citywide campaign to restore streetlights and remove illegal billboards as part of efforts to improve safety, order, and the general outlook of the capital.
Chief Officer for Urban Development and
Planning, Patrick Analo, said the operation has already targeted unauthorised
billboards along major roads, including Mombasa Road, Ngong Road, Waiyaki Way,
and James Gichuru Road.
He warned that advertising companies that fail to comply with city
regulations risk heavy penalties.
“Advertising companies are urged to undertake
self-removal of these billboards because if we remove them, we will impound
them and charge the companies a removal penalty,” Analo stated.
In addition to the billboard crackdown, the county is investing in the restoration and expansion of street lighting infrastructure.
New lighting poles are being installed on Lower Hill Road, Dar es Salaam
Road, Enterprise Road, Arboretum Drive, and in residential and commercial areas
such as Kilimani, the Central Business District, Buruburu, and Westlands.
According to Analo, some of the county’s
efforts have been undermined by individuals tampering with streetlight power
cables to mount unauthorised pole-based billboards.
“This interference compromises public safety and undermines the county’s
investment in lighting infrastructure,” he noted, adding that such acts will be
met with strict enforcement action.
The campaign gained visibility after City Hall recently pulled down a controversial billboard on Kenyatta Avenue, which officials said contravened advertising standards and disrupted the city’s natural aesthetics.
Analo stressed that Nairobi’s landscape, with its mix of greenery and urban
design, must be safeguarded against visual clutter.
“The city of Nairobi is blessed with a
beautiful landscape dotted with trees and vegetation. We will not allow this to
be spoiled by uncontrolled and illegal commercial billboards,” he emphasised.
The beautification exercise is part of
Governor Johnson Sakaja’s broader urban renewal agenda, which seeks to enhance
safety through reliable lighting and preserve Nairobi’s scenic appeal.
City Hall has pledged that the programme will continue across all major
routes to ensure a cleaner, brighter, and more orderly capital.
