Nairobi County Launches Formal Process to Legalise Unauthorised Buildings

Nairobi County has begun a formal regularisation process requiring owners of unauthorised buildings to apply for compliance through the Nairobi Planning and Development Management System (NPDMS).

The initiative is part of the newly enacted Regularisation Act 2025 and is led by Patrick Mbogo, the County Executive Committee Member for Built Environment and Urban Planning. It targets developers, land-buying firms, and individuals with unapproved structures, who must now seek formal approval with the help of certified professionals in the built environment.

Chief Officer for Urban Development and Planning, Patrick Analo, confirmed that public notices listing non-compliant developments will be published in national newspapers to ensure transparency. The regularisation covers a wide range of cases, including land subdivisions, change-of-use applications, structural alterations, signage, and informal settlements located on private land.

The county aims to resolve longstanding land use and ownership issues in areas such as Ruai, Kasarani, Mwiki, Roysambu, and Embakasi. These neighbourhoods have experienced complex disputes involving squatters, speculative land transactions, and conflicting government allocations. 

Under the new framework, affected developments may be regularised if they meet minimum planning and safety standards. One significant example is the Kirima land in Njiru, a large privately owned property where extensive unauthorised construction has occurred. The county is working to clarify ownership and facilitate approval processes for legitimate landholders following past court rulings.

“We are now giving property owners a chance to regularise before enforcement begins,” said Mr Analo.

Developments that fail to meet the required criteria will face enforcement under the Physical and Land Use Planning Act of 2019. The county maintains that all urban growth must conform to legal and planning regulations.