The Nairobi City County Government has announced a sweeping
crackdown on unauthorized developments across the capital while inviting
investors to partner in the redevelopment of old estates under its ambitious
urban renewal programme.
In a public notice dated September 30, 2025, County
Executive Committee Member for Built Environment and Urban Planning, Patrick
Mbogo, said the new measures are part of efforts to bring thousands of
unapproved projects into compliance with planning laws.
The initiative is anchored in the Nairobi City County
Regularization of Unauthorized Development Act, 2025, and targets developments
that were built without approvals but meet minimum safety and planning
standards.
According to Chief Officer for Urban Development and
Planning, Patrick Analo, the County will issue notices in at least two national
newspapers to ensure transparency in the regularization process.
“This covers subdivisions, amalgamations, change of use,
extensions, architectural and structural building plans, occupation permits,
billboards, LEDs, and even informal settlements on private land,” Analo said.
He added that property owners who fail to comply will face
enforcement action under the Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019.
“We are giving
developers a chance to comply before demolitions and penalties are effected,”
Analo warned.
The County highlighted ongoing disputes in areas such as
Ruai, Kasarani, Mwiki, Roysambu, and parts of Embakasi, which have long been
plagued by wrangles involving land-buying companies, squatters, and state
allocations.
Analo pointed to the protracted Kirima land case as an
example of the legal entanglements City Hall is keen to resolve.
To participate in the process, all applications for
regularization must be filed through registered professionals, including
physical planners, architects, structural engineers, and environmental experts
via the Nairobi Planning and Development Management System (NPDMS).
Alongside the crackdown, City Hall is advancing its second
phase of the Urban Renewal and Affordable Housing Delivery Programme, which
seeks to tackle urban decay, increase housing stock, and improve socio-economic
standards for residents.
The County has invited development partners, including
banks, pension funds, real estate developers, and other investors, to submit
proposals for joint venture partnerships in redeveloping ageing estates.
Among the estates earmarked for redevelopment are Bahati,
Maringo, Jericho, Lumumba, Bondeni, Embakasi, and Woodley, where projects will
focus on designing, financing, building, and selling affordable housing units.
The programme is aligned with the Constitution of Kenya’s
guarantee of the right to accessible and adequate housing under Article
43(1)(b) and is part of Nairobi’s long-term strategy to optimize land use while
improving the city’s built environment.
City Hall says the twin initiatives, regularization of
unauthorized developments and redevelopment of old estates, will not only
restore order in Nairobi’s planning system but also address the chronic housing
shortage in the capital.
