Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has warned traders and business owners against individuals impersonating county enforcement officers ahead of business licence inspections across the capital.
In a notice, Sakaja said the county had vetted, trained and briefed officers authorised to conduct inspections across all 17 sub-counties.
He said all authorised officers had been issued official identification badges and must introduce themselves and present their badges before conducting inspections.
“All authorised officers have been issued with official identification badges and are required to introduce themselves and present their badges before conducting any inspection,” Sakaja said.
Nairobi Releases List of Business Inspection Officers
Nairobi County also published a list of 364 authorised inspection officers deployed across all 17 sub-counties and their wards. The county vetted and approved the officers to curb harassment by rogue enforcement officers and impostors.
The deployment is intended to decentralise revenue collection and strengthen enforcement across the capital.
Starehe and Kamukunji each have 28 authorised officers, while Makadara has eight. Dagoretti North has 11, Dagoretti South 12, Kibra 11, Roysambu 11 and Kasarani 12.
Ruaraka has 19 officers, while Westlands has 11. Embakasi South, Embakasi North, Embakasi Central, Embakasi East and Embakasi West each have 12 officers.
Mathare has 28 authorised officers, Langata has five, and Njiru has 12.
Sakaja on Fake County Inspectors
Sakaja warned that anyone claiming to be an inspection officer but missing from the official list or unable to produce a valid identification badge was an impostor.
He urged residents and business owners to report such individuals to the relevant authorities for immediate action, including arrest where appropriate.
“Anyone claiming to be an inspection officer who is not on this official list or cannot produce a valid identification badge is an impostor and should be reported to the relevant authorities for immediate action, including arrest where appropriate,” he said.
The governor also warned against harassment, intimidation and extortion of business owners by individuals posing as county enforcement officers.
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He called on Nairobi traders to cooperate with authorised inspection teams as the county carries out the exercise.
Sakaja’s Inspection Reforms Follow Complaints of Harassment
Nairobi City County intensified business inspections, permit verification and enforcement across all 17 sub-counties in June 2026 to ensure compliance with the Nairobi City County Trade Licensing Act, 2019.
The exercise also targeted businesses whose permits had been undercharged, with county officials reviewing their licensing records.
However, traders had raised concerns over alleged harassment, intimidation, extortion and unlawful evictions by county enforcement officers, including in cases where businesses held valid permits.
Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan previously accused Nairobi askaris of harassing traders in Eastleigh and Gikomba through arbitrary arrests, destruction of goods and forceful confiscation of property.
“I am deeply concerned by reports of continued harassment, intimidation and arbitrary arrests of small-scale traders, hawkers and business owners by Nairobi City County askaris in Eastleigh and Gikomba, including the destruction and forceful confiscation of their goods and property,” he said.
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A World Bank report also raised concerns about county enforcement officers and police, citing cases of informal payments, seizures, and pressure targeting small-scale traders and boda boda riders.
Under the Nairobi City Inspectorate Act, 2017, inspection officers can arrest individuals without a warrant for violating county laws, including trading without a licence, operating in restricted areas, and obstructing streets.
Bars, clubs and restaurants had also faced night inspections over liquor licences, noise levels, operating hours and public order. Business owners complained that some operations were disruptive and that unauthorised officers could abuse them.
In response, Sakaja banned night raids on bars and entertainment venues with immediate effect. He also ordered the publication of a list of 364 authorised inspection officers across the 17 sub-counties to help business owners identify legitimate county officers.
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