On December 20, 2025, Nairobi County ordered high-rise developers in Kileleshwa to pay for damages to public infrastructure after complaints from the Embassy of the Netherlands about obstructed sewer and water lines. The embassy highlighted environmental and public health risks from the destruction of walkways and sewer lines. Residents of Dikdik Gardens echoed these concerns, calling for a halt to construction until issues are addressed.
Nairobi County issued a formal directive on December 20, 2025, requiring high-rise developers in Kileleshwa to compensate for damages to public infrastructure, including blocked water and sewer lines that caused flooding and environmental worries. This followed complaints from the Embassy of the Netherlands, which claimed that nearby construction had disrupted sewage and water flow, leading to risks for public health and the environment.
The embassy stated: “Discharge of wastewater from the construction site into the storm drain that flows into the river poses both environmental and public health concerns. We respectfully request that the relevant authorities review these matters and take appropriate action to prevent environmental hazards and maintain public safety.”
Residents of Dikdik Gardens in Kileleshwa supported these complaints, noting that raw sewage was contaminating the Kirichwa Ndogo River. One resident said: “We’d like to ask the county, as well as agencies like NCA and NEMA, to put a pause on the construction until they address the issues that residents have raised here in Dikdik and the wider Kileleshwa area.”
Residents called on the National Construction Authority (NCA) and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to suspend the construction until resolved. This incident reflects broader tensions between developers and residents in Nairobi, as seen in Peponi Road, Westlands, where a 13-storey building's construction was halted due to cracks in its pillars.
Earlier, in April this year, the Parklands Residents Association secured a court order against developers who damaged roads and forests. In November, Lavington/Mbaazi Avenue residents petitioned the Supreme Court over a 16-storey project threatening nearby buildings' stability. In September, Kindaruma Road residents in Kilimani reported wall cracks from heavy machinery vibrations.
In response, Nairobi City County launched a six-month amnesty in December, allowing developers to regularize unauthorized structures, while warning that buildings on public land or violating court orders would face demolition. Previously, in September 2025, the Court of Appeal mandated the county to publish a transparent zoning framework within six months.
