Ruto Orders Demolition of Part of State House Wall Over Riparian Encroachment

President William Ruto has announced that a section of the perimeter wall at State House, Nairobi, will be demolished after it was discovered that it extends into protected riparian land along the Kirichwa Kubwa River.

The President made the remarks while addressing the Nairobi County Assembly on Thursday, April 9, 2026, where he spoke firmly about the need for all institutions, including State House itself, to obey environmental and urban planning laws.

Ruto explained that a multi-agency team currently leading the recovery of riparian reserves in Nairobi had served State House with an official notice. According to the notice, part of the boundary wall near the river sits within the protected riparian zone and must therefore be removed.

He said the order would be implemented immediately, making it clear that no property should be exempt from the law simply because of its status or location.

The Head of State further noted that experts had directed that the wall should remain at least 15 metres away from the river’s highest water mark, in line with riparian reserve regulations.

He assured county leaders that the affected part of the wall would be brought down without delay, stressing that environmental protection rules must be followed consistently across the city.

His statement was seen as a strong message that the ongoing demolition exercise will apply equally to both private and public developments.

Riparian reserves are environmentally protected buffer zones found next to rivers, streams, and other water bodies. Construction within these areas is restricted because such spaces help control flooding, protect water flow, and preserve the surrounding ecosystem.

In Nairobi, years of illegal construction, poor drainage planning, and encroachment on wetlands have significantly worsened flooding, especially during heavy rains.

Ruto linked the demolition order to the larger environmental challenges facing Nairobi, saying unchecked land grabbing and environmental degradation have made floods in the city more destructive.

He pointed out that reclaiming riverbanks and wetlands is now necessary to restore proper drainage systems and reduce the impact of seasonal flooding that has continued to affect homes, roads, and businesses.

The President’s announcement comes amid an intensified citywide crackdown by a multi-agency team that has been targeting illegal structures built along rivers, wetlands, and drainage corridors in Nairobi.

The exercise is part of wider efforts to restore waterways that have been narrowed, blocked, or diverted by illegal developments over the years.

This move also follows recent directives by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, who ordered the immediate demolition of illegal structures along riverbanks and the relocation of people occupying riparian land.

The governor said the action was necessary to address the persistent flooding crisis that continues to disrupt parts of the capital whenever heavy rains fall.

Speaking earlier in Westlands on March 18, Sakaja said the county had already started implementing recommendations from the Infrastructure Committee’s action report.

He explained that county officers would focus on structures that have blocked natural waterways, noting that some rivers in Nairobi had been reduced to tiny culverts that cannot handle large volumes of storm water.

Sakaja also called for greater accountability from both developers and residents, blaming illegal dumping of waste into rivers and the failure to follow approved building plans for worsening the city’s drainage problems.

He said restoring Nairobi’s rivers and riparian corridors is critical if the county is to solve the long-standing flooding menace in a sustainable way.

Overall, Ruto’s decision to allow even part of State House to be affected by the demolition exercise sends a symbolic and powerful message that the law should apply equally to everyone.

It also reinforces the government’s commitment to reclaiming riparian land, protecting the environment, and finding long-term solutions to Nairobi’s worsening flood disasters.

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