Repaint order issued to Nairobi property owners as of part city’s beautification
Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) is set to roll out beautification of the city with focus on building frontages, walkways and green areas.
As such building owners in the capital have been given 60 days to repaint their buildings or risk prosecution for non-compliance.
According to NMS Director General Mohammed Badi, the project is aimed at enhancing the aesthetic conditions of various areas in the capital.
REFURBISHMENT
The activities will entail refurbishing and reconstruction of all walkways and pavements within the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), Upper Hill, Westlands, Ngara before being expanded to all sub-counties.
The programme will also see the beautification of all roundabouts, road medians, open recreational spaces and all other greenery areas.
“Individuals, building owners, organisations or companies are invited to partner with us in implementing the activities by applying to the office of the undersigned. All design specifications shall be provided by the same office,” read a public notice by NMS DG Badi published in the local dailies.
NMS has been carrying out various projects aimed at transforming Nairobi’s landscape and architecture with various roads within the city centre being refurbished.
Already, development of an efficient non-motorized transport works are ongoing at Kenyatta Avenue, Wabera and Muindi Mbingu Streets where pedestrian walkways and cycle tracks or lanes are being put up.
On the repainting of buildings, the NMS boss said that the owners will be required to use colours that were originally approved for the building plans by Nairobi County government and any changes must be approved by NMS.
The Maj Gen pointed out that those who fail to comply with the directive shall be liable to prosecution under the relevant sections of the Public Health Act particularly Cap 242 Section 118(b) on maintaining buildings clean.
The Public Health Cap 242 and County by-laws require property owners within the city to repaint their buildings after every two years.
REPAINT PREMISES
“This requirement shall be complied with within 60-days from the date of this public notice. Colours to be applied shall be as originally approved and any changes to the same must be approved by Nairobi Metropolitan Service prior to applying,” he said.
However, this is not the first time that building owners in the capital are being ordered to repaint their premises.
There have been numerous orders in the past with even arrests being made in August last year by the county government for the owners who failed to comply but nothing much has been achieved.
This was after a repaint order was issued in July 2019 following a similar order in May of the same year requiring the property owners to paint and carry out renovations to their buildings within 30 days.
Nonetheless, this was after a similar order in January, 2019 where the building owners were directed to repaint their buildings as part of the then ongoing beautification project in the city.