Parliament has directed the immediate revocation of a 2018 demolition order issued by the Water Resources Management Authority (Warma) and National Environment Management Authority (Nema) against Seefar apartments in Nairobi, according to a March 2019 decision by the National Assembly’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee.
Committee chairman Kareke Mbiuki emphasized that the agencies failed to provide technical documentation supporting the demolition, stating, "It is hereby ordered that the demolition notice issued for the demolition of Seefar apartments be vacated."
The committee’s intervention follows concerns raised by National Buildings Inspectorate secretary Moses Nyakiongora, who confirmed the 12-story building is structurally sound but warned of risks posed by its location on the Ngong River’s course. He recommended modifications to the Nairobi Dam rather than demolition.
This marks the second time the committee has intervened to protect the apartments. In 2018, lawmakers proposed destroying the nearby dam to prevent the building’s collapse, arguing the structure posed greater economic value than the outdated infrastructure.
The dispute originated when Warma and Nema issued a 14-day demolition notice to Erdemann Property in October 2018, citing the building’s encroachment on the Nairobi Dam’s riparian reserve. The committee’s latest ruling shifts responsibility to a government multi-agency task force.
