All buildings within the Nairobi central business district and its environs are required to have a fresh coat of paint, according to a new directive by the County boss.
Sonko said the directive, which took effect yesterday, is part of a beautification exercise that City Hall embarked on last week.
He noted there was a need to invest in transforming the city since it’s the hub of several multinational companies and headquarters for several world organisations.
The governor said despite Nairobi being known as ‘The Green City in the Sun’, some buildings were in a dilapidated state as they have not been repainted for a long time.
“By not maintaining the buildings, they deny Nairobi the beauty associated with it and the Moniker, ‘The Green City in the Sun’.
“Nairobi is a commercial hub. We should make sure that it is beautiful and clean. All buildings should be repainted.
“Owners have a choice to either maintain their original colours or change them as they please,” the governor said on Thursday during an impromptu tour of the CBD.
Sonko’s beautification programme also includes planting of flowers and grass along roads and pavements, painting of flowerpots, directional signs and road marking, street lighting, and erection of metal bars along pavements to protect pedestrians.
City Hall staff have already undergone a refresher training on how to paint perfectly. The training was done in partnership with Kansai Plascon Africa Limited, a subsidiary of Japan-based Kansai Paint Co.
The painting exercise kicked off on Wednesday.
