By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 17 December 2025 - Nairobi City County has escalated its long-running battle against illegal outdoor advertising, with Lang’ata Road emerging as the latest frontline in a crackdown that is increasingly framed as both an urban planning and public safety intervention.
The renewed focus on the busy corridor reflects mounting concern within City Hall over persistent non-compliance by advertisers and the alleged use of criminal gangs to frustrate enforcement officers.
The intensified operation, part of the ongoing Operation Remove Illegal Billboards, is being led by the Department of Built Environment and Urban Planning under County Executive Committee Member Patrick Mbogo.
Working alongside Urban Development and Planning Chief Officer Patrick Analo Akivaga and Assistant Director for Advertising Dan Nasengo, the department has signalled a tougher posture, warning that intimidation tactics and repeat violations will attract harsher penalties.
Lang’ata Road has been identified as a hotspot following repeated attempts by advertisers to erect or reinstall billboards without approvals, often in defiance of earlier enforcement actions.
County officials say the corridor’s strategic importance — linking residential areas, commercial nodes and major transport routes — has made it particularly vulnerable to unchecked visual clutter and unsafe structures.The latest move builds on gains made earlier in December along Redhill Road, where county teams dismantled several illegal billboards for violating the Physical and Land Use Planning Act (PLUPA) 2019. According to Analo, the county will now go further by prosecuting firms that attempt to reinstall removed structures or deploy goons to obstruct enforcement, with punitive measures that could see up to five times more billboards removed than those initially found to be illegal.“This enforcement will not stop. Any advertiser who thinks they can beat the system through intimidation or illegal installations will face stiffer penalties,” Analo said, noting that fines of up to Sh2 million apply to companies that erect unapproved advertising structures.The December push follows a sweeping operation in November in which the county removed 275 illegal billboards across Nairobi, far exceeding initial targets.
Major corridors cleared during that phase included Lang’ata Road, Mombasa Road, Eastern Bypass, James Gichuru Road, Cotton Road, Ole Nguruone Street and several high-traffic roundabouts.
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Officials say the scale of the operation was intended to send a clear signal that lax enforcement of advertising regulations would no longer be tolerated.
Particular attention has been paid to sensitive routes such as the Eastern Bypass, a key gateway into the city and a critical link to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and nearby security installations.
County planners argue that illegal billboards in such areas pose safety risks, obstruct visibility and undermine national security considerations, in addition to eroding the city’s visual character.The shift toward more aggressive enforcement also reflects broader governance concerns. Illegal advertising deprives the county of much-needed revenue and distorts competition by allowing non-compliant firms to undercut licensed operators.
By tightening oversight and collaborating with national agencies such as the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), the county hopes to harmonise standards and close enforcement gaps between county and national roads.County officials have framed the campaign as part of Governor Johnson Sakaja's broader agenda to restore order, safety and dignity in the capital.
Beyond aesthetics, they argue that unregulated outdoor advertising undermines urban planning objectives and contributes to congestion and environmental degradation.As enforcement intensifies, City Hall is also seeking public support to sustain the momentum. Residents have been urged to report suspicious or unapproved billboards through Sub-County offices or the county’s toll-free number, 1508.
The county government insists on ccompliance, not confrontation. The move will define the future of outdoor advertising in Nairobi as authorities push toward full regulatory enforcement across the city.
