The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has issued a 30-day notice to owners of buildings and structures located near airports to install obstacle lights.
In a notice on Tuesday, February 3, KCAA said all developments within the vicinity of airports are required to install Class B medium-intensity aeronautical obstacle lights to enhance aviation safety.
The authority noted that the lights must be fitted at the tip of aerial masts or at the four upper extremities of buildings, in line with regulation 72 of the Civil Aviation (Aerodromes) Regulations, 2013.
KCAA warned building owners that failure to comply with the directive shall attract enforcement action by the authority.
“All owners, lessors, and lessees of affected developments are hereby given thirty (30) days’ notice from the date of this publication to install the prescribed Class B medium-intensity obstacle lights. Failure to comply shall attract enforcement action by the Authority in accordance with the law,” KCAA stated.
Read More
The authority said the directive applies to developments within a 15-kilometre radius of all international and domestic aerodromes across the country.
Areas surrounding Wilson Airport affected by the directive include: Nairobi West, Madaraka, South B, South C, Nairobi Dam, Ngumo, Highview, Magiwa, Golf Course, Lang’ata, Karen, and Southlands.
Others are Otiende, Ngei 1 and 2, Onyonka, Masai, Uhuru Gardens, Jonathan Ngeno, Deliverance, Dam Estate, Ngong Road, Kibera, Highrise, Ongata Rongai and Kabete.
KCAA also said that no construction, erection, or alteration of buildings is permitted within a 15-kilometre radius of any aerodrome without prior written approval.
“Applications for authorisation shall be submitted to the Authority for review and approval of the acceptable height prior to commencement of any construction,” KCAA added.
This comes days after 18 people were arrested in Mombasa County during a crackdown on unauthorised construction that violates established regulations.
County enforcement officers apprehended contractors and builders for failing to comply with construction standards and building codes.
Mombasa County Executive Committee Member for Lands and Urban Planning, Mohamed Hussein, revealed that several private developers have been consistently violating building regulations across the county.
The violations include unauthorised additions to existing structures, such as extra floors.
Hussien noted that the unapproved modifications resulted in structural weaknesses, with some buildings developing cracks and others collapsing entirely.
