Nairobi City Council declares war on graffiti artists

By Mutinda Mwanzia

The City Council of Nairobi has declared war on graffiti artists in Nairobi County terming them a nuisance.

City Clerk Philip Kisia said the graffiti was against the council by-laws with some of them also offensive.

"As a council we will not allow individuals to deface walls and roads in the city," said Kisia.

He said that the council will remove the graffiti and restore the defaced surfaces.

Among the notable graffiti include those drumming support for Water Assistant Minister Ferdinard Waititu who is eyeing the Nairobi County Governorship.

Major flyovers and underpasses around the city's newly built roads and by-passes have been sprayed with ‘Waititu for Governor’ slogans especially in Eastlands.

Graffiti message on the wall of a public toilet in Nairobi's CBD, a facility managed by the Nairobi City Council. Photo:File/Standard

On Wednesday, City Director of Planning Tom Odongo said the council has written to Waititu urging him to remove the graffiti. He said the graffiti and posters were rampant in flyovers, underpasses, buildings and walls within Nairobi especially Forest Road, Murang’a Road, Mombasa Road, Jogoo Road, the City Market and Public Toilets walls within the Central Business District.

He said city residents were also complaining about the graffiti and posters saying they were an eyesore.

When contacted by The Standard Waititu said he was ready to have the offensive graffiti removed and urged the City Council of Nairobi to give him time.

"I am a firm believer of the law and will comply with the council demands," said Waititu.

He added that some of the graffiti were being done by his opponents to taint his campaigns.

Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has also expressed concern over the graffiti on newly built roads saying the defacing should stop.

Odongo said political aspirants should comply with the Physical Planning Act Building Code and Council By-laws before displaying posters or spraying graffiti.

He said graffiti artists who want to use the art as a platform for social advocacy should liase with the council so that they can be designated space instead of defacing walls and roads.

Odongo added that aspirants who want space to propagate their political ideologies should liase with his department so that they can get the advertising rates in the city.