Report a health nuisance: overflowing sewage, rubbish, dirty premises
Public Health Act · sources read 2 Oct 2026
Nobody may cause, or allow on their property, a nuisance that is dangerous to health, such as overflowing sewage or septic tanks, piled-up rubbish, polluted water, filthy or rat-infested premises, or offensive factory smells and smoke. Report it to your county public health office. The medical officer of health must order the person responsible to fix it, and can take them to court if they don't.
- Where
- Your county or sub-county public health office
Steps
- Report the nuisance to your county or sub-county public health office (public health officer). Photos and the exact location help.
- If satisfied it's a nuisance, the medical officer of health serves a notice on the person responsible (or the owner or occupier) to remove it within a set time.
- If they ignore the notice, the medical officer of health takes them to a magistrate, who can order the work done and fine them.
Watch out
- Ignoring a court order to remove a nuisance can cost up to KSh 1,500 for every day it continues.
- If a house is unfit to live in, the court can close it, and no rent is payable for the period it stays closed.
- Loud noise and vibration are dealt with under environmental law (NEMA and county noise rules), not this Act.
Who this covers
- Covers, among others: dirty or verminous homes and premises; foul drains, sewers, cesspits, septic tanks and toilets; polluted wells and water tanks; waste water flowing into streets; badly kept animal sheds; piled-up refuse or manure; overcrowded or unventilated housing; offensive factory smells; smoking chimneys.
Official sources (1)
- Public Health Act (Cap. 242) new.kenyalaw.org · read 2 Oct 2026