Kidero orders destruction of billboards
Environmental activist Kamau Thuo inspects trees cut down at City Park forest by advertising firms to make billboards visible. Governor Kidero has ordered the removal of all billboards that have led to cutting down of trees in the city within the next seven days. PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- This comes after an outdoor advertising company, Magnate, sparked outrage among city dwellers after several trees along Magadi road, Limuru road around Parklands and City Park were trees were brought down to pave way for billboards.
- The governor has also condemned outdoor advertising companies that fell the trees stating that it was illegal and those found cutting trees should be arrested by security officers.
Nairobi County has ordered the removal of all billboards that have led to cutting down trees in the city within the next seven days.
This comes after an outdoor advertising company, Magnate, sparked outrage among city dwellers after several trees along Magadi road, Limuru road around Parklands and City Park were trees were brought down to pave way for billboards.
The county government was put on the spot for allowing the company to fell indigenous trees in a move many argued was destruction of City Park.
Through a statement, Governor Evans Kidero gave ordered that the billboard erected at the area should be pulled down.
“All billboards that interfered with trees must come down within seven days. That's an order,” he said.
The governor has also condemned outdoor advertising companies that fell the trees stating that it was illegal and those found cutting trees should be arrested by security officers.
He said that the motive behind the cutting of trees is to make the billboards visible.
APPROVAL FROM CITY HALL
County regulations stipulate that any company intending to put up a billboard must seek approval from City Hall and the officials should survey the area and if necessary grant permission to clear the area.
Speaking to Nation, county urban planning CEC Christopher Khaemba said that City Park is a protected area and trees should not and that the advertising company did not seek approval before erecting the billboard.
Mr Khaemba said that one cannot put any billboard at the park as it is illegal and the county has never allowed it hence the advertisement company did without authority.
Karura MCA Kamau Thuo said that residents were furious over the incident saying that the park was iconic as it houses monkeys and birds.
Mr Thuo said that on Sunday they woke up to stumps of trees after the company cut trees which had grown for over 200 years.
He added that they will on Saturday lead a team to plant trees in the area where they were cut down in a bid to save the park.
The county enforcement team will on Thursday start pulling down billboards erected where trees were cut down.
Most affected areas are along Ngong, Mombasa and Lang’ata roads.
