A major compliance sweep hit Siaya town today after a high-powered team from the Department of Lands, Physical Planning, Housing and Urban Development conducted an intensive inspection targeting buildings and ongoing developments flouting legal requirements.
The operation—anchored on the Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019—sought to enforce development control regulations, plan-approval standards and land-use guidelines amid rising cases of unapproved constructions and misuse of public spaces within the CBD.
During the inspection, the team flagged several illegal developments, including a construction site next to the Siaya County Assembly offices, adjacent to Kenya Commercial Bank, where works had commenced without any approved plans.
Also identified were prohibited industrial activities spilling onto pedestrian walkways, particularly around Equity Bank and the Siaya High Court road, where mechanics had taken over public spaces, conducting motorcycle repairs and causing excessive oil spillage—a violation that is unacceptable under National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) regulations.
County Executive Committee Member for Lands, Physical Planning, Housing & Urban Development, Maurice Otieno McOrege, who led the crackdown, warned that the era of disregarding established procedures was over.
“Developers and the business community must strictly adhere to laid-down procedures for acquiring development permissions and using public spaces,” he emphasized, noting that unchecked encroachment and unregulated construction threaten public safety and orderly growth of the town.
In response to the violations, the team issued preliminary notices, directing developers to immediately halt non-compliant works and rectify the flagged issues. Failure to comply, McOrege stated, would compel the County Government of Siaya to invoke Sections 72 and 75 of the Physical and Land Use Planning Act, which provide for enforcement actions, including suspension and demolition of illegal developments.
The CECM was accompanied by a strong technical delegation including Director for Housing, George Obare; Director for Physical Planning, Maurice Ochieng; Director for Lands & Survey, Vincent Oluoch; and Siaya Municipal Manager, Madam Linet Oyola, all of whom underscored the county’s renewed commitment to restoring order in Siaya’s urban spaces.
Today’s crackdown signals a firm county stance against lawless construction and misuse of public resources, setting the stage for a more organized, safe, and environmentally compliant Siaya CBD.
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