Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is adamant about the necessity of high-rise apartments in posh areas such as Kileleshwa and Lavington. Addressing concerns during a church service in Bahati, Sakaja emphasized the city’s escalating population, projecting it to exceed 10 million by 2025. He argued that with Nairobi’s limited geographical space of 696 square kilometers, vertical expansion is the only viable solution.
Sakaja all for high-rise apprtments
Sakaja’s stance has sparked mixed reactions, especially among residents who feel that the emergence of towering structures is altering the aesthetics of Nairobi’s upscale suburbs. However, Sakaja remains resolute in his position, asserting that the city must embrace vertical growth to meet housing demands.
“I have heard people complaining that in areas of Kileleshwa and Lavington, our homes were one-storey, now tall apartments have come. Nairobi is 696 square kilometres; in 2050 it will have a population of 10.5 million people. Will we expand Nairobi? No, the only place we have to go is up,” Sakaja articulated during the church service.
He further explained that while certain areas like Eastleigh have height restrictions due to strategic concerns such as the Eastleigh Airbase, which plays a role in emergency evacuations, posh estates like Kileleshwa and Lavington do not face similar limitations. Sakaja revealed that he had discussed these matters with the President, highlighting the impracticality of evacuation plans through congested areas.
“I told the President that if he tries that he will be stuck in traffic. You cannot be evacuated through Eastleigh anymore. I am happy the height restriction has been removed; we are going to go up to 25 floors in these houses we are building,” he elaborated.
Nairobi residents complain about high-rise buildings
However, not everyone is on board with Sakaja’s vision. Some Nairobi residents, including legal professionals like Donald Kipkorir, have raised concerns about the alleged circumvention of construction regulations in affluent neighbourhoods. They argue that hasty approvals by government bodies like the Nairobi City Council and NEMA are compromising the quality and integrity of these areas.
Despite the dissenting voices, Sakaja remains undeterred, emphasizing the inevitability of high-rise developments to accommodate Nairobi’s burgeoning population. The debate surrounding vertical growth in posh estates is likely to persist as the city grapples with balancing urbanization demands and preserving its distinctive character.
