City Hall intensifies crackdown on illegal billboards as 21 removed on Redhill Road

According to County Executive Committee Member for Built Environment & Urban Planning Patrick Mbogo and Urban Development and Planning Chief Officer Patrick Analo Akivaga, 21 illegal billboards were removed this week under the ongoing Operation Remove Illegal Billboards.

Analo said the structures had been mounted in violation of the Physical and Land Use Planning Act (PLUPA) 2019, adding that enforcement will intensify throughout December.

“We are not relenting. Some companies have even attempted to reinstall the same illegal structures, and they will not only face prosecution but also the removal of five times more of their billboards as punitive action,” he warned.

He further cautioned firms allegedly deploying goons to obstruct county officers, stressing that such interference will attract additional legal consequences, including the removal of even more of their advertising assets.

The renewed Redhill operation comes after a major sweep in November, during which the county took down 275 illegal billboards across Nairobi, far exceeding the initial target of 100. That exercise covered major corridors including the Eastern Bypass, James Gichuru Road, Cotton Road, Ole Nguruone Street, Mombasa Road, Lang’ata Road, and several roundabouts.

On the Eastern Bypass—one of Nairobi’s most sensitive entry routes—the county cleared all illegal billboards mounted on street lighting poles. Analo then underscored the strategic importance of the corridor, which serves GSU and Administration Police training institutions and leads to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, stressing that “visual order and compliance are essential.”

“Any firm erecting illegal billboards risks fines of up to Sh2 million, in addition to removal penalties,” he added.

The county says it is working with KURA and KeNHA in a multi-agency effort to strengthen surveillance and ensure uniform enforcement across both national and county roads.

Analo noted that December’s phase of enforcement will be more aggressive, targeting all remaining illegal billboards and pursuing companies that evade approvals or fail to pay advertising fees.

“This is part of the Governor’s commitment to deliver a city of order for all Nairobians,” he reiterated.

City Hall is urging residents to report suspicious or unapproved structures through Sub-County offices or the Toll-Free Number 1508.

With more hotspots scheduled for inspection, the county says the cleanup will continue “until full compliance is achieved across the city.”