A notorious bar linked to a politician in Lavington area has defied a warning from the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) to address noise pollution.
Nema officials had on January 8, visited the Kettle House Bar and Grill in Lavington along Muthangari Road and issued it with a Restoration Order on Noise pollution.
“This followed complaints by members of the public on excessive noise emanating from the facility.
They were directed to present an EIA license, annual environmental audit and noise pollution control measures within 7 days of the receipt of the order,” said Nema in a post on X.
The facility was also ordered to immediately stop any further operations responsible for noise pollution until compliance levels are assessed.
However, neighbours say nothing has been done from the facility to address the complaints.
They said the facility keep playing loud music ignoring their complaints and warning from authorities.
This is despite the fact that the bar neighbours a mental hospital –Chiromo Group of Hospital-, a school and residential houses.
The neighbours said they have school going children who cannot rest because of the noise from the bar.
“The bar can sell their stuff without the noise. The management is rude and brag they are connected making our nights horrible.”
“We urge concerned parties to come to our rescue to stop the noise or close it completely,” said a neighbor.
The neighbor questioned if the facility is a nightclub and how it was licensed to operate next to a school, residential area and hospital.
“The government had last year in December claimed they closed bars near schools. This was left and we don’t know why yet it is noisy and inconveniencing in many ways.”
Nairobi County officials have in the past raided the facility but no further action was taken.
Nema officials said they will revisit the bar to establish if there is compliance after the expiry of the warning.
But staff at the bar argued they are in business and those complaining found them there.
“We have been here for the past three years and we don’t know who is complaining about this issue. We are in business,” said one worker at the facility.
The bar was in news in January 2024 when bouncers there assaulted journalists and officials from the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) on duty.
Eleven bouncers were later arrested and charged with assault.
The court also issued a warrant of arrest against 10 other employees of the bar over the incident.
They pleaded not guilty to the seven charges before them including three counts of assault causing actual bodily harm, three counts of assault in execution of duty and selling shisha.
The court released the bouncers on a cash bail of Sh30,000 with an alternative of Sh100,000 bond with similar surety.
The case stemmed from an incident where journalists from several media houses and police were on January 5, 2024 attacked when they raided the bar alongside NACADA personnel.
This was during an operation targeting shisha consumption.
Shisha possession and consumption is banned in Kenya.
Drama broke out when police officers, accompanied by journalists and NACADA officials, arrived at the bar linked to a politician at around 11 pm to arrest club managers and patrons for allegedly smoking shisha, which is banned.
Kenya imposed a ban on shisha in 2017, including advertising, promoting, distributing and encouraging or facilitating its use. Shisha smoking, also known as water pipe, hookah, or hubble-bubble, was outlawed in Kenya in 2017.
The comprehensive ban covered use, import, manufacture, sale, promotion, and distribution of the product. Offenders face fines starting at Sh50,000 or a minimum jail term of six months.
Kenya joined neighboring East African countries Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda in prohibiting the use of shisha.
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