Alai decries billboard erections in residential areas
By Joel Masibo, November 1, 2025Kileleshwa Member of County Assembly (MCA) Robert Alai has intensified his campaign against what he calls the “uncontrolled invasion” of illegal billboards in Kileleshwa and other nearby residential areas.
Taking to his social media pages on Saturday, November 1, 2025, the vocal legislator has accused rogue officers and advertising companies of colluding to erect commercial billboards in the said zones without county approval.
Recently, Alai has publicly been denouncing the proliferation of large, unauthorised billboards that have transformed Kileleshwa’s face. Roads such as Waiyaki Way, Olenguruone Road, Oloitokitok Road, Mandera Road, and James Gichuru Road have been identified as hotspots for the illegal installations.
Alai’s protest
According to Alai, these billboards violate county planning laws governing spacing, height, and setback regulations. He notes that Kileleshwa’s designation as an Area of Partial Control under Nairobi’s planning policy should offer it tighter protection from such developments.
He has accused the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers of colluding with top government officials to erect the contested billboards.
”Hello, DCI Kenya boss Amin, our residential areas are not a gun firing range. I wonder why you have allowed your officers to be used by corrupt advertising companies to erect billboards along James Gichuru, Oloitoktok, Olenguruone, and Waiyaki roads without the county’s approval. Rogue officers, using official DCI cars and backed by OCS Muthangari and Kileleshwa, are erecting billboards at night without regard for due process,” Alai took to X.
Appeal to Ruto
Alai further asked President William Ruto to intervene and restore order in the posh neighbourhoods by restraining businessmen behind the trend.
”Billboards are now an economic mainstay of police officers who brag that they are erecting them for the children of cabinet secretaries. Hello, President William Ruto, please help rein in these cabinet secretaries who are destroying our residential areas with illegal billboards,” he added.
Meanwhile, Alai has been on the frontline of the fight against illegal advertising. On May 5, 2025, he commended a county night operation that dismantled several unauthorised billboards, urging that similar clean-ups be extended to other key roads. In a fiery online post, Alai has been faulting both county authorities and the police for allowing the illegal structures to mushroom across the city.