- The 2025 Nakuru County Review Report looks at how the county is dealing with air and noise pollution, public nuisances, outdoor advertising, as well as cultural activities and public amenities.
- The findings show that while some progress has been made, many gaps still remain.
For many people living in Nakuru County, problems such as loud music at night, noisy motorbikes, polluted air, poorly managed waste, and uncontrolled advertising are part of daily life.
These issues affect people’s health, sleep, and overall wellbeing. The 2025 Nakuru County Review Report looks at how the county is dealing with air and noise pollution, public nuisances, outdoor advertising, as well as cultural activities and public amenities.
The findings show that while some progress has been made, many gaps still remain.
Kenya already has laws that are meant to protect people from pollution. The main one is the Environmental Management and Coordination Act of (EMCA) 1999, which recognizes noise pollution as environmental damage and gives the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) the responsibility to control it.
In 2009, more detailed rules were introduced to set limits for noise in residential, commercial, and industrial areas. Nakuru County has adopted these laws into its own bylaws so that it can enforce them at the local level, working together with NEMA.
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Other laws also support pollution control. The Public Health Act treats air and noise pollution as health risks, meaning authorities must act to protect residents.
The Kenya Roads Act addresses noise caused by traffic, especially in towns and along highways, while the Occupational Health and Safety Act protects workers who are exposed to loud noise in workplaces.
Using these laws, the county monitors noise and air quality, issues permits, fines offenders, and shuts down activities that break the rules. The county has also carried out public awareness campaigns, installed air quality sensors, increased green spaces, and strengthened its environmental policies.
Since devolution in 2013, Nakuru County has made some important improvements, especially in monitoring pollution. The county now uses modern equipment to measure noise levels in different areas, making it easier to respond to complaints and take action.
This helps balance business activities and public events with the need for peace in residential neighbourhoods. Air quality monitoring stations have also been installed in major towns and industrial areas.
These stations provide real-time information about air pollution, helping the county identify problem areas and warn residents when the air becomes unsafe.
Even with these efforts, many residents feel that service delivery is still weak. Across the county, control of air and noise pollution, public nuisances, and outdoor advertising was rated at just 37.1 per cent.
This shows that enforcement is uneven, with some areas doing better than others. Urban wards such as Shabaab, Waseges, Kiptororo, Kabatini, and Bahati rated county performance highly, showing that strong enforcement can make a difference. Other wards like Kivumbini, Rhonda, Olkaria, and Dundori reported average satisfaction.
However, many rural and peri-urban wards were clearly unhappy. Areas such as Amalo, Maiella, Mariashoni, and Turi gave very low ratings, mainly due to weak enforcement and low awareness of environmental laws. Noise pollution was the most common complaint.
Residents across many wards pointed to loud boda boda motorbikes with modified exhausts, bars and clubs in residential areas, churches using powerful sound systems, and noisy public events like crusades and roadshows.
In places such as Dundori, Kabatini, Elburgon, and Kiamaina, churches and motorbikes were major sources of noise, while Kaptembwa, Biashara in Nakuru town, and Flamingo struggled with noise from entertainment joints.
Air pollution was reported less often than noise but remains serious in certain areas. Industrial and geothermal zones were the most affected. Residents of Lake View, Olkaria, and Maiella complained about bad smells and health problems linked to geothermal emissions.
In Gilgil and Mosop, tyre burning and factory emissions were blamed for poor air quality, while Elburgon and Njoro residents reported damage to buildings caused by factory emissions.
Dump sites, animal carcasses, and agricultural activities such as flower farming also contribute to air pollution in places like Malewa West, Menengai, and Lanet Umoja.
Public nuisance goes beyond noise and air pollution. Poor waste management, overcrowded entertainment spots, and unhygienic facilities were reported in several wards. Kapkures and Viwandani struggle with bad smells from slaughterhouses and cemeteries.
In London and Nessuit, social issues such as unemployment and drug abuse make the situation worse. Uncontrolled outdoor advertising is another growing concern, with residents in wards like Kiptagich, Hell’s Gate, and Olkaria complaining about unregulated billboards and offensive signs.
The report points to several key challenges. Many residents are simply not aware of the laws meant to protect them. This lack of awareness was common in wards such as Amalo, Bahati, Kamara, Mauche, and Visoi.
Weak enforcement, corruption, political interference, and poor zoning, especially where homes are mixed with clubs and churches also make the problem worse.
Overall, the report shows that while Nakuru County has made some progress, many people still deal with pollution, public nuisance, and lack of safe public spaces every day.
Solving these problems will require better public awareness, stronger enforcement, proper funding, and active involvement of residents to improve health, peace, and quality of life across the county.
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