Upper Hill Residents Threaten Legal Action Over Plan To Degazette Capitol Hill Police Station

Residents and businesses in Upper Hill Nairobi are threatening court action to block the proposed degazettement of Capitol Hill Police Station warning that the move would create a dangerous security vacuum. The Upper Hill District Association representing residents businesses and institutions in the area has vowed to challenge the decision citing lack of public participation and risks to public safety.

The association argues that the station serves parts of Kibra Sub County Woodley Ward and Dagoretti North Sub County Kilimani Ward supporting thousands of residents workers diplomatic missions hospitals schools and businesses. Upper Hill is a major commercial hub hosting banks insurers law firms international organisations embassies Kenyatta National Hospital Milimani Court NSSF National Library ODPP IPOA Uhuru Park and a large residential population plus hundreds of thousands of daily commuters.

In a strongly worded statement the group declared that the Capitol Hill Police Station is not merely a building but an essential pillar of public safety in one of Nairobi most densely populated and economically active neighbourhoods. They warned that closing it would drastically increase emergency response times putting lives and property at grave risk especially as the country approaches a heated election season.

The association criticised the process for lacking any public notice forums barazas or written communication describing it as a grave violation of the Constitution. They demanded an immediate halt to degazettement until full public consultation occurs and have given the Inspector General of Police and Cabinet Secretary for Interior 14 days to respond in writing and stop the process. Failure to comply will trigger all available legal and civic measures.

The group also called for access to all related documents under Article 35 of the Constitution and urged increased funding to expand the station rather than close it. They emphasised that once public land and facilities are degazetted they are rarely recovered making the decision irreversible