This archive report was first published on 8 July 2020.
On July 8, 2020, Nairobi Metropolitan Services Director-General Mohammed Badi announced a major shake-up in the city's development permits. All permits issued under Governor Mike Sonko's administration from March 18, 2020, would need to be re-submitted for fresh processing.
According to Badi, 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 has not been processed within the above framework.
He further revealed 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 (KICC).
President Uhuru Kenyatta had handed over key Nairobi City County functions to the National Government on March 18, 2020, with Mohammed Badi taking up the newly-created role as Director-General of Nairobi Metropolitan Services.
As part of his efforts to bring an end to corruption and dismantle cartels that had birthed growth in the county, President Uhuru Kenyatta had delegated the crucial task to Badi.
Since taking charge, Badi has cleared a backlog of 4,400 pending development plans and established a new urban planning technical committee to handle building plan approvals afresh.
The two committees that were disbanded in May 2020 were accused of being run by cartels and engaging in corruption leading to delays in development approvals.
