Sonko directs all city buildings to be repainted

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko speaks about the consultative meeting he attended at City Hall on January 19, 2018. He wants the county to be beautiful and clean. PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The county government is also engaged in road repairs within the CBD as well as garbage collection.

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has directed owners of buildings within the central business district and its environs to repaint them.

Mr Sonko said the directive, which took effect Thursday, was part of the ongoing beautification project in the city.

He said there was need to make Nairobi look beautiful since it’s the hub of several multinational companies and headquarters for several world organisations.

“We need to invest in transforming the city to continue attracting more foreign investors,” he said.

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Mr Sonko said despite Nairobi being known for high-rise modern buildings in East Africa and the beauty associated with its tag – The Green City in the Sun – some buildings were in a dilapidated state as they have not been repainted for a long time.

“Nairobi is a commercial hub. We should make sure that it is beautiful and clean. All buildings should be repainted.

"Owners have a choice to either maintain their original colours or change them as they please,” the governor said on Thursday during an impromptu tour of the CBD.

CLEANLINESS
He was accompanied by acting Environment Executive, who is also in charge of Roads, Mahmoud Dagane, and ICT’s Charles Kerich.

Although the governor did not issue a deadline on when the buildings should be repainted, he asked property owners to abide by the directive. 

Mr Sonko said his government would continue planting flowers and grass along roads and pavements in the city centre and other areas in the county.

The directive comes barely a week after Mr Sonko launched the Nairobi beautification programme.

The county government is also engaged in road repairs within the CBD as well as garbage collection, which is aimed at lifting Nairobi to the standards of other world best cities.

RANKING
Mr Sonko also directed that metal bars be erected along pavements to protect pedestrians.

The beautification programme comes a few days after Nairobi was ranked the top most dynamic city in Africa in a new global rating.

According to the JLL 2017 City Momentum Index (CMI), Nairobi was rated number 10 in the world, defeating other big cities such as Dubai (United Arab Emirates), New York (US), Paris in France and Stockholm (Sweden).

Innovation and technology, environment and housing were some of the factors used to rank the cities.