Nairobi County pulls down billboards over Sh500m debt

Advertisers were caught unaware when officials from the Nairobi county government launched an operation to remove billboards over Sh500 million unpaid levies.

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, whose officials claimed the county has incurred the loss for the last one year, is said to have given the directive.

The operation, which started on Kenyatta Avenue and Limuru Road, did not spare Aga Khan University Hospital's Dental Clinic billboard.

Head of the operation, John Ntoiti, said Kidero issued the directive on Monday evening to have all unpaid for adverts pulled down with immediate effect.

"The county has realised that many of its operations are being derailed due to lack of funds yet there are firms that owe it millions of shillings. We have written to them, given them notices but there has been no positive feedback," Mr Ntoiti said.

Grace period

Ntoiti said the firms have been evasive in complying with the regulations outlined by the county arguing that the county had to do this: "This is not the first time we have been forced to resort to this option. There are many businesses around the county which want this space so we are compromising no more," he said.

He added that the big dilemma is not on the advertising businesses but rather on the firms that advertise: "Some of them are calling wondering what is happening because they have paid the advertising firms who have in turn not paid the county for the advertising space."

City Hall officials have claimed that some of these advertisements are usually mounted at night. Magnate and Adopt a Light, which is associated with former Nairobi Governor aspirant Esther Passaris, are some of the main advertising firms affected in the exercise.

However, Adopt a Light Financial Manager Jared Ondera said his firm had not been notified of such an exercise.

"We are not aware of such an exercise. However, if any of our adverts have been pulled down, then it has been done wrongfully," he said.

Ondera said Adopt a Light has an agreement with the county which gives them a 30-day grace period from the day of notification before any action is taken.

"According to our papers, we still have three weeks before the period expires," he added.

Magnate Head of Operations Bernard Kuria confirmed that they have no advertisements along Kenyatta Avenue.

"But if any of our adverts have been brought down around Limuru Road, it is not right. We have no notification from the county on such an exercise," he said.

A Communication Officer from county government, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the Press on the matter, said the problem lies mostly with the advertising firms which operate like brokers.

"The county has no problem with these firms buying space to rent it out to advertisers. When you see an advert along the road, there is a chain of people who have benefited from it," he said.

The exercise is expected to go on throughout the week with Lang'ata Road being today's target as well as all major highways where more of these billboards will be pulled down, Ntoiti said.