This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
On July 8, 2020, Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) director-general Major General Mohamed Badi announced the establishment of a new urban planning technical committee to handle building plan approvals.
The move comes after Major General Badi disbanded both City Hall's pre-technical committee and the urban planning technical committee in May to pave the way for a single team.
The previous committees were responsible for considering and approving development plans, but were accused of being run by cartels and engaging in corruption, resulting in delays in the approvals.
According to a public notice, the new multi-sectoral urban planning committee will handle all planning approvals, while the director-general's office will deal with planning tasks.
This means that all property development applications will be submitted to the office for consideration.
Major General Badi stated that all planning/development complaints, applications, or hoarding, occupation, renovation permits, and hard copy prints of approved drawings are to be submitted to the second floor, amphitheatre wing of Kenyatta International Convention Centre.
He also warned that development permits issued as from March 18, 2020, must be processed under the new guidelines or risk being declared null and void.
Prospective developers or investors and the general public are informed that Nairobi Metropolitan Services will not be liable for any planning permits dated March 18, 2020, to date, which have not been processed within the above framework.
