Nairobi County’s Environment Chief Officer Geoffrey Mosiria has announced a crackdown on food premises that fail to meet proper hygiene standards.
In a statement shared via his X account on Tuesday, January 7, 2024, the Chief Officer emphasized the importance of hygiene in public food premises and promised strict measures to enforce compliance across the city.
“A crackdown will follow on all food premises to ensure strict adherence to all public health guidelines,” he declared.
Mosiria’s remarks come after a surprise inspection of a hotel in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD). According to the sanitation officer, an inspection conducted alongside public health officers uncovered alarming conditions at the establishment.
He said that the hotel, located along Mfangano Lane, was found to be in a state of severe neglect, with filthy premises and employees possessing counterfeit medical examination certificates. He also reported that the establishment had not complied with any of the required public health directives.
“Today together with public health officers in Nairobi county we visited a hotel around Mfangano Lane CBD after last night’s encounter with the foul smell from the hotel. We found the hotel in a filthy state, the medical examination of the workers was fake and they had not adhered to any public health directives,” Mosiria stated.
After the inspection, Mosiria issued a closure notice to the hotel’s management and revealed plans to take legal action against the owner.
“We issued a closure notice to the management, and we shall also arraign the owner in court,” he stated.
Today together with Public health officers in Nairobi county we visited a hotel around mfangano lane CBD after last night encounter with foul smell from the hotel. We found the hotel in a filthy state, medical examination of the workers were fake and they had not adhered to any… pic.twitter.com/QOcDAImYSp
— Geoffrey Mosiria (@HonMosiria) January 7, 2025
Mosiria’s efforts
The sanitation officer is known gained popularity for his efforts to address poor hygiene in residential areas, gaining attention for his relentless campaigns targeting unsanitary street food vendors and unclean environments within the city.
During a media briefing on September 14, 2024, the cleanliness chief urged tenants to come forward and report landlords and agents who neglect proper hygiene standards on their premises. Mosiria expressed disappointment over tenants withholding crucial information, which hinders the county’s efforts to enforce sanitation laws effectively.
“Tenants who are supposed to help us keep their environment conducive have decided to hide their agents and caretakers. We go to the tenants and ask them where the agent and caretaker or landlord are, they decide to hide them, and we see the caretaker running. The occupants of these houses are not honest themselves,” Mosiria remarked.
Mosiria has also gained attention for his efforts in cracking down on noise pollution in churches and entertainment venues such as clubs.
