This archive report was first published on 15 May 2020.
On May 15, 2020, Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) director general Mohamed Abdalla announced the disbandment of City Hall's planning and technical committee, effective immediately.
The committee, comprising planning and technical officers from Nairobi City County Government, as well as representatives from the Architectural Association of Kenya, Kenya Institute of Planners, Institute of Engineers in Kenya, and Institute of Surveyors of Kenya, was responsible for recommending development plans for approval.
As a result of the disbandment, all development applications filed after March 18 at Nairobi City County Government that were at various stages of approval stand nullified and will have to be filed afresh at NMS.
A public notice published on Wednesday stated that the e-construction development application processing system formerly managed by NCCG is suspended pending the formation of a new system.
Applications should continue to be filed to NMS DG's office at KICC first floor, according to the notice.
The move is expected to adversely affect the prospects of providing new jobs for skilled and unskilled construction workers in Nairobi, as well as environment experts and related construction material dealers.
Just last February, NCCG's buildings approvals committee resumed their sittings after an eight-month lull, which had seen multi-billion shilling projects suspended for lack of licences.
The delays had cost a Sh69 billion drop in approved projects last year, with only Sh141.327 billion worth of projects approved in Nairobi compared to Sh210 billion projects approved a year earlier.
