Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale has ordered the immediate closure of Fay’s Bistro club in Kilimani Nairobi county after public outrage over noise pollution.
In a statement published on Sunday evening, October 20, 2024, Duale attributed the immediate closure of the noisy club to noise violations and disturbance of the residents.
Additionally, the CS said that the National Environment Management Authority( NEMA) Director General, accompanied by the NEMA Police unit is on the site to oversee the closure.
“I have ordered the immediate closure of Fay’s Bistro club in Kilimani, Nairobi, for noise violations. The NEMA Director General, accompanied by the NEMA Police unit, is on-site to enforce the closure,” Duale revealed.
“With immediate effect, the closure order is hereby issued to operations at your restaurant that prohibits offering entertainment activities including playing Dire hands and amplified music within your business at an existing complex mali. With immediate effect seize the operations of any fourth of most and/or any form of entertainment from your restaurant.”
Duale further issued a stern warning to club owners operating in the residential areas and those violating NEMA regulations that prohibit the production of any loud, unreasonable, unnecessary or unusual noise which annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health or safety of others and the environment.
He added that noise pollution in the residential areas will not be allowed.
“Let this serve as a stern warning to all clubs operating in residential areas: any that continue to play loud music will face the same action. This impunity will not be tolerated!” he warned.
Previous warning
Duale stated that even after the club’s management was issued a warning twice by the government agency about the excessive noise following numerous complaints from the general public they went ahead and violated the regulation.
He added that the club’s loud music denied the neighbouring fraternity the right to a clean and healthy environment.
“The Authority draws your attention to the numerous improvement notices served to you including the improvement notices dated 19 June 2034 and 14 August 2004 and inspections by NEMA Environmental Inspectors following numerous complaints on varied dates reported by the general public regarding noise pollution from the separation of your business hence denying neighbouring fraternity the right to a clean and healthy environment as enshrined,” he stated.
Raid by Nairobi County officers
Duale’s directive comes hours after Nairobi County’s Chief Officer for Environment, Geoffrey Mosiria raided the club on Saturday evening following a series of noise complaints from residents.
“This is a bar and restaurant in Kilimani where they have been holding parties and disturbing neighbours. They play loud music with impunity causing noise pollution. We can’t allow this to continue happening and the time to restore order in Nairobi is now,” Mosiria said.
The raid is part of the county’s ongoing effort to curb noise pollution in residential areas, which has drawn public attention.
