Lobby warns of security vacuum as state moves to scrap Capitol Hill Police Station

UHDA warned it would pursue legal and civic action if the process proceeds without adherence to the law, insisting that the continued operation of Capitol Hill Police Station is “non-negotiable” for the safety of the community. /FILE

Businesses and residents in Nairobi’s Upper Hill have opposed plans to degazette Capitol Hill Police Station, warning that the move could expose one of the city’s most critical commercial districts to heightened insecurity.

In a statement issued on April 10, the Upper Hill District Association (UHDA) said the proposed removal of the police station from the government’s official registry would create a “dangerous security vacuum” in an area that hosts key economic and public institutions.

The association noted that Upper Hill, a major business hub in Nairobi, accommodates banks, insurance firms, embassies, hospitals and government offices, alongside a significant residential population and daily commuter traffic.

The Capitol Hill Police Station, it said, plays a central role in maintaining law and order across parts of Kibra and Dagoretti North sub-counties.

UHDA argued that shutting down the station would significantly increase emergency response times and weaken crime deterrence in the area, especially amid what it described as rising security concerns.

The lobby also raised constitutional concerns, accusing authorities of failing to conduct public participation before initiating the process.

 It cited Articles 10 and 35 of the Constitution, which guarantee public involvement and access to information in decision-making, saying no consultations, public notices or stakeholder engagements had been undertaken.

“Any degazettement process without public input is not just invalid  it is legally indefensible,” the association said.

UHDA further warned that once public land and facilities are degazetted, they are rarely recovered, terming the police station an “irreplaceable public asset.”

The association is now demanding an immediate halt to the process, full disclosure of all documents related to the proposal, and a structured public participation process involving residents, businesses and institutions within Upper Hill.

It also called for increased funding to expand and modernise the facility instead of closing it, and has given the Inspector General of Police and the Interior Ministry 14 days to issue a formal response.

UHDA warned it would pursue legal and civic action if the process proceeds without adherence to the law, insisting that the continued operation of Capitol Hill Police Station is “non-negotiable” for the safety of the community.