Sonko targets 7 Nairobi CBD building owners for allegedly violating repaint order

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has begun to the crack the whip after the deadline of the order to repaint buildings in the CBD lapsed.

County officials said owners were given until end of July to repaint their buildings but failed to heed the directive.

“We believe that they all read our notice which we published in the local dailies and that is why we are going for them,” acting County Secretary Leboo Morintat said in a statement on Thursday.

Some of the buildings targeted include Ambassador House (Moi Avenue), Loise House (Latema Road), Jiame House (Haile Selassie), Karachi House (River Road), Leon House (Tom Mboya Street), Commercial House among others.

On Thursday, over 10 people were arrested and charged for breaching the Public Health Cap 242 and County By-Laws.

The law requires that buildings in the Nairobi city centre be repainted after every two years.

Some of those arrested include Jane Asena, (caretaker of Karachi House), Charles Ndung’u Mwangi (director of one of the buildings on Latema/Lagos Road), Ann Nana Matei among others.

“Those being targeted for arrest are the owners of buildings, caretakers and the users of the buildings,” Morintat added.

He further warned that the county will shut down premises that have not been repainted.