Supreme Court Makes Major Ruling on High-Rise Buildings in Nairobi

The ruling comes amid concerns over the legality of the county's approvals for high-rise buildings, some of which have resulted in fatalities following a surge in the number of collapsed buildings under construction.

The Supreme Court has faulted Nairobi City County for approving high-rise buildings using an unapproved development policy, ruling that the county government had no legal authority to rely on the document when granting construction permits.

In a judgment delivered on Friday, October 30, the five-judge bench led by Chief Justice Martha Koome found that the county had unlawfully relied on the Nairobi City Development Control Policy 2021, which had not been approved by the Nairobi County Assembly.

The ruling followed a petition filed by the Rhapta Road Residents Association challenging the approval of high-rise developments ranging from 17 to 22 floors in the Muthangari area of Westlands, Nairobi.

Source: Kenyans.co.ke