Sakaja lifts month-long suspension for building approvals
Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja has lifted the month-long suspension on building plans and approvals.
This followed a Nairobi County Executive Committee meeting chaired by Sakaja on Tuesday, June 4, 2024.
Sakaja in a statement notified developers in the county that the Urban Planning Technical Committee has resumed processing of applications.
"Chaired the Nairobi County Executive Committee this morning. Part of the resolutions include the lifting of the suspension on building plans and approvals following constitution of the stakeholder review taskforce. Developers are notified that the Urban Planning Technical Committee has resumed processing of applications," Sakaja said in the statement posted on his official X account on Tuesday, June 4, 2024.
Chaired the Nairobi County Executive Committee this morning. Part of the resolutions include the lifting of the suspension on building plans and approvals following constitution of the stakeholder review taskforce. Developers are notified that the Urban Planning Technical… pic.twitter.com/9Vczw8SFpy
— Sakaja Arthur Johnson (@SakajaJohnson) June 4, 2024
The City County chief has also mandated a taskforce to audit building approvals dating back to June 2022.
Audit of all buildings
He had in early May 2024 ordered an audit of all buildings constructed in the city over the last two years.
At the time, Sakaja said the audit followed feedback that his administration had been receiving from stakeholders within the Built Environment sector.
The governor said the multi-agency committee tasked to undertake the audit will have between 30 to 60 days to conclude the process and submit a report for implementation, and gave the bodies until May 10 to nominate their representatives to the committee.
Pending building approvals
Sakaja had on Wednesday, April 24, announced suspension of all pending building development approvals.
The suspension was announced following a heavy downpour that was being witnessed in Nairobi and across the country over a month ago. 
This had put several buildings at risk of sinking.
Sakaja had also banned with immediate effect all excavations within Nairobi County.
Activists had mounted pressure on Sakaja to halt approvals of buildings in the city which do not adhere to urban planning codes.
Earlier, a defiant Sakaja had announced that the county would continue giving out permits to various contractors aiming to construct up to 75-storey buildings.
These skyscrapers were supposed to be constructed in leafy suburbs of Kilimani, Kileleshwa, Lavington and other areas within Nairobi.
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