Residents of Kileleshwa Ward have petitioned City Hall over the ongoing irregular approval of buildings.
In a letter addressed to Governor Johnson Sakaja, the residents claim that there is approval of new developments without involving them through public participation, as was previously the case.
Through their Ward representative Robert Alai, the residents claimed that the county’s Urban Development and physical planning department has ignored existing laws that govern all developments in the area.
They explained that when the county approves building plans for developers, they end up contravening the zoning guide.
“These laid down guidelines are currently being grossly violated with impunity and the team of 5 corrupt officials are determined to turn the district into one big concrete jungle,” reads the statement.
Kileleshwa Ward falls under Zone 4 in the Nairobi City Development Ordinances and Zoning Guide of 2026.
This means that any building in the area should have a maximum of four storeys.
The residents said that if sanity is not restored in the planning sector, the rate of mushrooming irregular developments will affect existing infrastructure and services such as water, electricity, sewerage, roads and other public facilities and systems.
MCA Alai said the county specifically the Urban Development and Physical Planning sector has remained silent despite the many letters from the residents requesting information on approved buildings.
The ODM legislator has appealed to Sakaja for transparency on the matter.
“Governor Sakaja, on behalf of the residents of Kileleshwa Ward, we demand nothing less than the application and adherence to the rule of law, reason, respect and transparency. This ward needs proper monitoring of developments based on the existing master plan,” Alai said.
Kileleshwa residents have requested the governor to establish a full audit of the planning approval process for all ongoing developments in the ward.
They also want to have a copy of the list of all approvals granted, evidence of public participation in the approvals granted and a list of public utility lands of the approved building constructions.
