Mike Sonko Says Tall Residential Buildings without Elevators will be Demolished

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko wants residents living in buildings with more than five floors and which have no elevators to vacate.

Taking to social media, the Governor said such buildings are targeted for demolition in ongoing crackdown on illegal structures in the city.

“Musikubali kuishi kwa flat ya more than 5 floors na hazina lift wala proper approvals za serikali. Nyumba aina hii zote zitaenda chini. (Do not accept to live in a flat that is more than 5 floors lacking a lift and without government approvals. These kinds of houses will all come tumbling down)," he said in a post on Facebook.

Sonko said his administration will not wait for another tragedy to happen through collapsed buildings as witnessed in Nairobi in the past few years. He said all unfit structures will be brought down and urged residents to stop risking their lives by staying in such buildings.

He said: "Tumechoka kuzika watu innocent kila saa kutokana na uzembe wa engineers wa county na greedy landlords. This time round tunawapeleka jela before tupoteze maisha ya wakenya tena.(We are tired of burying innocent people every now and then as a result of the laziness of county engineers and greedy landlords. This time round we shall take them to jail before any Kenyan life is lost)."

Most of this buildings are located in Nairobi's populous Eastlands estates including Huruma, Umoja, Kayole, Fedha and Pipeline.