The Environment and Lands Court on Monday ordered the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to close down four popular Nairobi night clubs.
4 popular Nairobi night clubs to be closed over loud music
NEMA ordered to close 4 high-end clubs in Nairobi
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Justice Loise Komingoi gave the orders after Kilimani area residents filed a complaint with the courts over noise violations by Kiza Lounge, Space Lounge, Explorers Tavern and B-Club.
Justice Komingoi further ordered the Nairobi County administration to revoke the liquor licenses for the four establishments.
In January 2018 NEMA had closed the three clubs after complaints by the residents through their organization Kilimani Project Foundation but the order may have been ignored as the clubs continued to operate.
"Every Kenyan has a right to a healthy and clean environment as enshrined in the Constitution. NEMA will not hesitate to enforce the law by closing noisy businesses close to residential areas and are not sound proof," NEMA Communications Manager Evans Nyabuto stated at the time.
Illegal business
Kiza Lounge Managing Director Ali Oumarou defended his facility stating that both NEMA and the Kilimani residents had never complained about noise in the first two years of the club's inception.
The residents also complained of immoral acts that are performed at the facilities by the guests who flock for entertainment at the clubs.
"Some of other negative effects from the said establishments release noise, littering by patrons, obstruction of motor vehicles by patrons, exposure to immoral and indecent behaviour by the patrons inside their vehicles, property prices being driven down as a result of all those activities and loss of income by some residents," court papers read in part.
The closure order comes barely a month after Mr Oumarou, who owns Kiza Lounge, was deported on September 6, 2019.
Reports indicated that the government suspected he might be involved in international crimes.
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