Nairobi City County has announced a six-month compliance window for property owners and developers to regularise unauthorised developments before enforcement measures begin later this year.
The initiative, introduced under the Nairobi City County Regularisation of Unauthorised Developments Regulations, 2025, seeks to allow owners of structurally sound but unapproved developments to bring their projects into compliance without facing penalties during the grace period, which runs until December.
Speaking during the launch of the programme, County Executive Committee Member for Built Environment and Urban Planning Patrick Mbogo said the campaign is intended to encourage voluntary compliance while reducing disputes associated with enforcement exercises.
Chief Officer for Urban Development and Planning Patrick Analo stated that developers with ongoing or completed projects have been given a one-time opportunity to regularise their properties before the county shifts to stricter enforcement measures against those who fail to comply.
According to county officials, the programme aims to improve urban planning, strengthen property ownership security and support better infrastructure and service delivery across the capital.
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Property owners seeking approval have been encouraged to submit whatever documentation they currently possess, even where some requirements may be missing, with officials from the Urban Planning Department expected to assist applicants and provide guidance on additional requirements.
Under the process, qualifying developments will first receive conditional approvals before eventually being issued with Certificates of Compliance after meeting all county requirements.
The exercise will address a wide range of development matters, including building plan approvals, changes and extensions of land use, land subdivision and amalgamation, lease renewals and occupation certification.
However, the county clarified that certain developments will not qualify for regularisation.
These include buildings constructed on public land, structures located within riparian or protected areas, unsafe developments and projects undertaken contrary to court directives.
Mbogo noted that the exercise is expected to minimise unnecessary demolitions, reduce conflicts arising from enforcement operations and improve access to financing by ensuring developers have proper documentation.
He also warned that once the six-month period ends in December, authorities will step up enforcement actions against non-compliant developments, including possible demolitions and other legal measures.
Notably, earlier in the month, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja urged political leaders to tone down rising political temperatures as the county steps up efforts to tackle flooding and restore order across the city.
Speaking on Sunday, May 3, he said county authorities have intensified operations against illegal developments erected on riparian land.
Sakaja noted that a number of encroached areas have already been reclaimed, with the exercise now extending to more locations, among them Kirichwa Kubwa in Kilimani.
"The work to reclaim riparian land is ongoing at high speed. We are recovering many areas, and as the rains continue, more structures built on riparian land are being identified and removed. This exercise is ongoing, and no one is being exempted," he said.
Sakaja said the intervention has also received support at the national level, citing the removal of part of the perimeter wall at State House Nairobi to allow natural water flow as one of the clearest examples.
He linked the current demolitions to the worsening flooding crisis in the capital, arguing that blocked waterways and poor planning have worsened the situation.
"We are facing serious flood challenges, not just in Nairobi but across the country, including the Tana River. People must take responsibility. You cannot block waterways and then complain about floods," he added.
At the same time, Sakaja indicated that officials who approved developments on riparian reserves and flood-prone zones will also be held accountable.
"Many people are currently losing parts of their property after receiving approvals and building on riparian land and floodplains. Whether this happened years ago or recently, planners and surveyors are expected to adhere to development regulations," he further said.
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