Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has thrown the spotlight on Nairobi’s high-rise apartments, issuing fresh directives to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
With a firm stance, Duale signalled that construction regulations in the capital will tighten, targeting irregular developments that have mushroomed across the city.
Duale, known for his previous role in the Defence docket, minced no words as he expressed concerns over the chaotic nature of Nairobi’s high rises. He gave a stern warning during his vetting before the National Assembly, calling for stringent action against unlicensed construction projects.
“Now that I am the Minister for Environment, we will not issue a license, and if we don’t, no one can build,” he asserted, marking the start of what could be a significant shift in how Nairobi’s skyline evolves.
A photo of Pipeline Estate in Embakasi Nairobi.
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The CS’s remarks come amid growing public dissatisfaction with Nairobi’s overcrowded and poorly planned high-rise apartments. Buildings crammed together, blocking access to light and fresh air, have become a common sight. Duale’s concern extends beyond aesthetics, as he highlighted the risks these structures pose, particularly to families with children.
“People are building flats where children can’t grow because they have no access to basic living conditions like fresh air,” Duale noted. His warning to NEMA signals a no-nonsense approach to an issue that has festered under Nairobi’s urban growth.
Duale’s entry into the Environment Ministry comes at a time when Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has faced backlash for promoting vertical development as the solution to the city’s housing crisis.
Sakaja’s insistence that “the only way to go is up” sparked public outrage, especially from residents of posh areas like Kileleshwa and Lavington, who watched their leafy suburbs transform into concrete jungles of high-rise apartment blocks.
Earlier this year, Sakaja briefly suspended the approval of new building plans during the heavy rains, aiming to audit construction sites. However, this ban was lifted in June, allowing developers to resume their work.
Duale’s new directives, however, may upend that momentum, as NEMA has now been tasked with tightening oversight and halting any projects that don’t meet set standards.
The Nairobi County government has already taken steps to address the crisis. Governor Sakaja reconstituted the Urban Planning Technical Committee, bringing in professionals from architecture, urban planning, and engineering to ensure future developments comply with regulations. However, public trust remains low, with many Nairobians feeling that powerful developers have historically evaded accountability.
Nairobi City Governor Arthur Sakaja
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