This archive report was first published on 13 July 2021.
July 13, 2021 - Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) is working on a new land use policy to transform Nairobi into a world-class city.
The policy seeks to allocate areas for industrial and residential developments, making Nairobi a competitive city globally.
Currently, NMS is responsible for approving and granting development permits in the city. However, the county lacks a land use policy, and the existing development control policies are outdated and inconsistent with the city's character and ground situation.
According to Kangethe Thuku, the Deputy Director General of NMS, the agency is engaging with stakeholders to review physical planning policies and align them with current market dynamics.
“Already we have a draft Nairobi City County Land Use Policy, draft development control policy, and addressing and street naming policy. These documents have been presented to various stakeholders for input and are currently being finalized before submission to the County assembly for approval,” Thuku said.
Thuku also addressed concerns about the county's approval system being hacked last month. He clarified that the system was brought down for review, upgrade, and improvement, including the introduction of QR codes to minimize physical submission of paper documents.
The new city hall approval system is expected to be fully operational by August 2021.
As part of its commitment to formulate policies that will guide and control developments in Nairobi City for the next 10-15 years, NMS will undertake an Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) in ten County estates.
