Parklands residents have petitioned the Court of Appeal, accusing Nairobi City County officials and private developers of transforming their once orderly neighbourhood into what they describe as a “lawless construction zone.”
In an urgent application filed on Tuesday, November 25, the residents—led by Kamalkumar Rajinkant Sanghani and two others—say unregulated high-rise projects, night-time construction, and escalating environmental risks have intensified dramatically since an October ruling by the Environment and Land Court (ELC).
Their lawyer, Alfred Njeru Ndambiri, argues that although the ELC ruling exposed glaring gaps in Nairobi’s planning framework—including the absence of a Local Physical and Land Use Development Plan for Parklands and the issuance of permits in violation of the Physical and Land Use Planning Act (PLUPA) 2019—the court failed to impose immediate stop orders. According to the residents, that omission opened the floodgates.
The application claims that some developers and county officials are now citing the judgment as a green light to sidestep planning regulations entirely. Certain interpretations of the verdict, they say, have created the deceptive impression that PLUPA no longer applies in Parklands, giving rise to a surge in rapid construction and questionable demolitions.
One of the most contentious cases is the demolition of Desai House, a recognised heritage site. Residents argue that its tearing down is emblematic of how far matters have spiralled out of control. They also point to a cement-mixing plant operating along Ring Road Parklands, which they say is worsening air quality. Meanwhile, unchecked developments have allegedly led to sewage spills, blocked natural light in homes, and growing public health concerns.
Ndambiri warned that the situation is deteriorating by the day, cautioning that environmental and structural damage may soon reach levels too costly to reverse. If the chaos continues unchecked, he added, taxpayers risk shouldering the burden of future restoration.
The appellants maintain that their case, filed on November 21, has strong merit but insist that without urgent intervention to halt ongoing construction, their appeal could be rendered meaningless. They now await directions from the Court of Appeal, hopeful that judges will intervene before the situation worsens further.
Residents fear that Parklands is on the brink of a full-blown planning collapse and are urging the appellate court to help restore order in one of Nairobi’s oldest and most tightly knit neighbourhoods.
