20 ‘absurd’ County by-laws Nairobians thoughtlessly ignore
Have you ever come across some rules and regulations; and their immediate consequences that you find dumbfounding and all you can do was roll your eyes and move on with your life as you please? Well, the by-law offenses listed by the Nairobi County Government could be reason for many Nairobians roll their eyes for their potential absurdity despite the seriousness of the matter. Take a look at the following by-laws and tell us which one stuck with you the most:
According to the General Nuisance of the by-laws, it is an offense to:
- Making any kind of noise on the streets- touts, hawkers and pastors in Nairobi’s CBD, did you know this?
- Causing any risk to users through destruction of a building or road- team maandamano, mpo?
- Causing risk of users through inadequate fenced or unfenced land, lack of repair, protection, removal or enclosure; leaving things around that may make one to fall or and discharge a missile in or near a street.
- Destroy the surface of a public street.
- Willfully blocking a free passage or removal/displacement of any County property.
- Cutting down a tree without a permit from the County.
- Playing any game, riding or driving or propelling on a foot path- How many times have you seen vehicles with County registration number plates driving or parked on footpaths and no clumps in sight?
- Defacing any building by writing signs or grafting- Flossin Mauwano, did you know this?
- Depositing any type of material or waste on the streets- You only have to walk down to Marikiti in the CBD and see that they have no care for these by-laws.
- Spitting on any foot path or blowing the nose aimlessly other than into any suitable clothe or tissue- Rickety matatus plying route number 9 will take you here, no worry.
- Committing any act contrary to public decency.
- Loitering, importuning or attempting to procure a female/male for prostitution purpose- Travelers via Luthuli, River Road and K-Street, did you get home safe?
- Defecating or urinating on a street or any other space- but then there’s this video of the woman in the lift…
- Conveyance of open food in a manner likely to cause contamination- as Rashid Abdalla would say, ‘sisemi kitu.’
- Keeping any animal or poultry which cause a nuisance to any resident in the neighborhood- but, jogoo wa shambani does wika mjini, I can confirm this with my neighbor and she has not been reprimanded or fined by anyone.
- Washing, repairing or dismantling any vehicle in a prohibited area except in the case of emergency.
- Touting for passengers- Nairobi ‘haIwork!’
- Failure to observe traffic lights or zebra crossing.
- Driving or permitting to be driven in any overloaded vehicles such that its contacts are spilling- Have you ever been in a public service vehicle on route 19/60?
- Allowing hedges and tree to encroach and pose a danger to traffic movement.
Do you believe Nairobi ‘Inawork’ considering all these above offenses are committed daily and on a large scale but no tangible consequences and resolutions are seen? Do let us know…
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