Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai has accused powerful cartels of influencing illegal high-rise developments in Nairobi’s upscale estates, claiming millions of shillings exchange hands to push through controversial construction projects.
Speaking through a video shared on his social media platforms, Alai alleged that some developers use bribery, intimidation and manipulated public participation processes to secure approvals for projects that residents have opposed.
His remarks came days after a viral video showed him allegedly storming a public participation meeting and reportedly confronting local administrators over a disputed development project on Rhapta Road.
“On the issue of Rhapta Road, don’t listen to the nonsense out there from the criminal cartels behind the illegal developments. Now they have bribed some doctors at Nairobi Women’s Hospital to generate fake medical reports and give DCI Kilimani. But defeating cartels is a mission we are willing to handle,” he noted.
The MCA questioned why the public participation exercise was conducted on the same day protests over fuel prices were taking place, arguing that many residents were unable to attend because of security concerns.
“Public participation is a constitutional process but people take it as a formality. These processes, which are NEMA processes, are most of the people, even nearby residents, because it was during protests, foreigners were advised not to leave their homes,” he said.
“When they hear public participation is happening in the neighbourhood, they were worried. I wondered what is the hurry of conducting the public participation on a day where there’s insecurity and people can’t attend,”he added.
Alai also raised concerns about the rapid rise of high-rise buildings in areas such as Kileleshwa, Lavington, Kilimani, Waruku and Kawangware, saying the existing infrastructure was not designed to support the growing population density.
“Now Monday, Wednesday and Friday, you can’t get electricity in Lavington, Kileleshwa, Waruku and Kawangware. They get a blackout from 7-9 pm because the capacity that was to serve the area was supposed to serve us last in 1997,” he stated.
He further accused some local administrators of facilitating developments that allegedly violate zoning regulations set for residential estates.
“That road, they want to build 25 floors. The court ruled, when the Rhapta residents went to court, they said the maximum they can do is 16 floors, which the residents still oppose because Kileleshwa is under Zone 4 where you can’t build more than four floors,” he said.
“In that notice for development, it states 20 floors, you wonder why the chief is facilitating. You find the chief of Kileleshwa and the chief of Kilimani walking together like a cartel,”said.
According to Alai, he plans to support residents seeking legal action against some of the developments, saying leaders should stand with communities raising concerns over urban planning.
“I want to facilitate a legal process so that residents will not say I was silent. The residents are blaming you while you’re not aware there’s such a process,” he stated.
The MCA also alleged that some construction sites were being guarded by armed individuals and claimed that huge sums of money are involved in securing approvals.
“When you go to some of these developments, you find them armed because it seems like some people collect Ksh.20 million to Ksh.30 million on these processes,” he claimed.
“People are interested in quick money, no one is asking how Nairobi will look like in 50 years. It’s unfortunate that everyone wants to cut corners, get money and go their way. No one is thinking about the development programme,”.
The controversy follows a 2025 Court of Appeal ruling in the Rhapta Road zoning dispute, which allowed high-rise developments in some parts of Nairobi while directing Nairobi City County to update its zoning regulations within six months in line with the 2019 Physical and Land Use Planning Act.
Residents of Rhapta Road and Kileleshwa have continued to oppose several high-rise projects, arguing that they are contributing to congestion, pressure on infrastructure, environmental degradation and the loss of green spaces in the affected neighbourhoods.
