The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) arrested Nairobi County Chief Officer for Urban Development and Planning, Patrick Analo, after detectives recovered 65.3 million shillings in cash at his residence.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja issued a swift directive on Friday morning, suspending the embattled official, and locking him out of county systems and offices.
To maintain administrative momentum, Governor Sakaja appointed Dominic Mutegi, the former Director of Development Management, to take over the urban planning docket in an acting capacity.
The financial recovery occurred during an early morning operation by detectives, who searched a private property in Syokimau, Machakos County.
According to investigators, the seized cash consisted of 51.3 million shillings alongside 113,000 US dollars, which totals approximately 65.3 million shillings. Part of the money was hidden inside travelling bags inside the house, while additional cash bundles were retrieved from the boot of a vehicle parked at the compound.
Beyond the physical cash, the anti-graft agency confiscated title deeds, electronic gadgets, vehicle logbooks, and development approval plans linked to City Hall.
The independent agency stated that the enforcement action underpins an ongoing inquiry into suspected abuse of office, bribery, conflict of interest, and possession of unexplained wealth.
Data compiled by the commission suggests the suspect processed over 170 million shillings in suspicious deposits between the 2019/2020 and 2025/2026 financial periods.
The executive desk at City Hall announced a complete freeze on the processing of all development approvals, which is a core function of the department.
Governor Sakaja dissolved the Urban Planning Technical Committee (UPTC), ordering an immediate structural overhaul of the panel that manages building permits.
The regulatory body will be reconstituted to include representatives from independent professional associations, including the Kenya Institute of Planners (KIP) and the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK).
The county intends to integrate a dedicated liaison officer from the EACC into the new structural committee to monitor structural approvals.
During the suspension period, urgent construction approval applications will fall under the direct oversight of the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Built Environment and Urban Planning, Patrick Mbogo.
The temporary framework aligns with statutory guidelines outlined in the Physical and Land Use Planning Act.
The regulatory department manages building layout verifications, change-of-user applications, and compliance certificates within the capital city. These services have frequently faced public complaints regarding integrity and administrative bottlenecks.
A local newspaper clipping, referenced as 238859.png, highlighted the political gravity of the administrative shake-up on Friday afternoon.
Governor Sakaja reiterated that while constitutional provisions guarantee a presumption of innocence until proven guilty, public officers remain individually accountable for their professional actions.
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