Malik Lemmy criticises Nairobi’s apartment sprawl, calls it a recipe for disaster
Kenyan actor Malik Lemmy, popularly known as Govi, has joined a growing chorus of voices expressing concern over Nairobi’s rapid and unchecked urban sprawl, warning that the city is on the brink of a man-made disaster.
In a post on his Instagram stories on Thursday, June 19, 2025, Malik painted a bleak picture of Nairobi’s current state, describing the capital as an apartment dump where every available space is being consumed by rising blocks of flats, leaving no room for nature, proper infrastructure, or community planning.
“Nairobi just looks like an apartment dump nowadays… rising apartments being put up everyday,” Malik posted.
He lamented that even the tiniest open spaces are no longer being spared, noting that green areas that once offered Nairobians a breath of fresh air are being flattened to make way for high-rise residential buildings, many of which are erected without regard for long-term planning or the sustainability of essential services.
Malik went on to highlight the deteriorating living conditions in city estates, pointing out the alarming levels of traffic congestion on narrow residential roads, frequent drainage problems, and the overwhelming pressure caused by overpopulation.
“Even the little space can’t be left to breathe: traffic jams on estate roads, poor drainage systems, and overpopulation,” he said.
He described the combination of poor planning, reckless development, and a lack of proper civic regulation as a recipe for disaster, stating that the direction Nairobi is heading poses a serious threat to the quality of life for its residents.
“Recipe for disaster. But who are we but just citizens born to follow the system,” Malik added.
Despite the glaring issues, Malik observed that citizens appear powerless in the face of systemic neglect, noting that many are forced to watch silently as their neighbourhoods transform into overcrowded, chaotic spaces with no room for safety, serenity, or dignity.
He singled out South C estate as one of the areas already feeling the brunt of this aggressive housing expansion, pointing to it as an example of how formerly well-planned suburbs are slowly crumbling under the weight of unregulated growth.
“South C just looks like trash.”
