The Nairobi County Government is calling upon its residents to familiarise themselves with the Nairobi City County Public Nuisance Act, 2021 to avert avoidable cases that can land them in trouble with authorities.
Nairobi City residents fond of committing uncouth habits such as spitting saliva in the streets will be arrested. This is among the many rules and regulations that are aimed at keeping Nairobi clean and hygienic.
The Nairobi County Government is calling upon its residents to familiarise themselves with the Nairobi City County Public Nuisance Act, 2021 to avert avoidable cases that can land them in trouble with authorities.
Nairobi County Environment Chief Officer Geoffrey Mosiria urged residents to take responsibility to ensure a clean city, stating “As a county, we will ensure that our city laws are obeyed and no one will be spared if found culpable.”
The Nairobi City County Public Nuisance Bill, 2021 which was signed to law in August 2021, replaced the city bylaws that were overtaken by events following devolution.
Aerial view of the city of Nairobi. /FILE
The objective of this Act is to provide for the control of public nuisance and empower the county to take all lawful necessary and reasonably practicable measures for the abatement and prevention of public nuisance.
In the Bill, a Nairobi resident found blowing his or her nose without a handkerchief or tissue paper risks being fined between Ksh10,000 and Ksh500,000 or an imprisonment term of between six to 12 months. Also held liable in this case will be those found blowing their nose and throwing the mucus on paths.
In addition, one faces a six-month jail term or a Ksh10,000 fine if found spitting on a footpath in Nairobi county.
The Act also states that one faces a Ksh10,000 fine, a jail term of six months, or both if he or she urinates or defecates in a public place.
Another offence is living or sleeping in a kitchen or room where food is prepared or stored for sale. It will attract a fine not exceeding Ksh50,000, a six-month jail term or both.
In case of a subsequent offence, the offender can be fined as much as Ksh100,000, imprisoned for six months or both.
Also, hawking, selling, distributing, or advertising an article or event on a public road or street without statutory authority will attract punishment. “Any person who commits an offence under this section is liable, upon conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine of not more than Ksh10,000 or both,” reads the Act.
Shouting or using a bell, loudspeaker or other noisy instrument or driving a vehicle to exhibit advertisements is prohibited. Furthermore, keeping animals or poultry deemed a nuisance by neighbours is banned within the city-county.
Playing games in a manner likely to cause damage to property or cause injury will also attract punishment.
Early this week, 30 individuals who were arrested on Monday night for urinating and littering in the streets of Nairobi were sentenced to community service.
After being arraigned at City Court on Tuesday, some of those who were arrested were assigned the task of cleaning the Nairobi Funeral Home (City Mortuary).
Others were subjected to sweeping the Central Business District (CBD) while others went to clean Uhuru Park which has been closed since the anti-government protests on June 25, 2024.
The enforcement of the Act is likely to see many Nairobi dwellers on the wrong side of the law because of the unawareness of the existence of such laws.
