President William Ruto has declared that part of the State House boundary wall will be demolished as the government intensifies efforts to reclaim riparian land and restore Nairobi’s river ecosystem.

Speaking during a special sitting of the Nairobi County Assembly, the President said findings from a multi-agency team working on river rehabilitation had revealed that a section of the State House wall along Kirichwa Kubwa Road sits within a protected riparian reserve.

“They have told me at least 15 metres from the high mark, and I promise you that wall will come down,” Ruto told Members of the County Assembly.

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The move is part of a broader initiative led by the Nairobi Rivers Commission, a multi-agency team established in December 2022 to rehabilitate, clean and restore the Nairobi River basin.

The commission has been spearheading efforts to reclaim riparian reserves, remove illegal structures and address pollution in the capital’s waterways.

Ruto said the decision to bring down part of the State House wall underscores the government’s resolve to lead by example in enforcing laws meant to protect public resources.

“The great cities of the world did not become great by accident. They became great because leaders chose discipline over disorder, long-term planning over short-term politics and public interest over private convenience,” he said.

The President emphasised that Nairobi’s transformation into a modern and liveable city will require difficult but necessary decisions, including the removal of illegal developments and encroachments on public land.

He outlined what he termed the attributes of a “serious city,” noting that urban centres must guarantee access to water, efficient mobility, proper sanitation and public safety.

“A serious city plans where people live, how they move, how they trade and how infrastructure supports growth,” Ruto said. “It protects green spaces, manages waste properly and creates a dignified urban environment in which enterprise and opportunity can thrive.”

The Head of State reiterated that ongoing efforts to restore order in Nairobi will not spare any individual or institution, warning that resistance to reforms would only delay progress.

“If roads must be expanded, they will be expanded. If encroachment must be removed, it will be removed. If drainage channels must be cleared, they will be cleared,” he said.

“If illegal structures must come down, they will come down. And if systems must be reorganised to restore order, they will be reorganised.”

Ruto also criticised what he described as contradictions in public expectations, saying residents cannot demand improved infrastructure while opposing enforcement measures.

“We cannot demand world-class infrastructure while defending lawlessness. We cannot cry about floods and then resist drainage work. We cannot complain about congestion and then oppose road expansion,” he said.