Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney’s nightclub Kiza Lounge is set to be closed after Environment after Land Court judge Loice Komingoi ordered the National Environment Management Committee (NEMA) to enforce the closure of the club following a battery of noise complains made against it by Kilimani residents.
On Monday, Justice Komingoi ruled in favour of the Kilimani Project Foundation, a residents’ association which had become disillusioned with NEMA’s failure to rein in on the noisy nightclub which is quite popular with city revelers.
This comes as a blow for the club Galana Plaza, Kilimani stationed club which recently installed soundproof equipment to contain party time noise that had become a nuisance for Kilimani residents.
Justice Komingoi also ordered NEMA to enforce the closure of other popular nightclubs including B Club, Space Lounge and Grill and Explorer Tavern.
“The clubs continued operation of the business within the petitioner’s area of residence is a violation of their rights to life and right to a clean and healthy environment,” ruled Lady Justice Komingoi “The clubs are in contravention of the EMCA (Noise and excessive vibration pollution) control regulations 2009,”
Justice Komingoi further ordered the Nairobi County Government to revoke all liquor licenses issued to the four clubs.
The judge also faulted the Nairobi County Government, NEMA, the Nairobi County Alcoholic Drinks and Licensing Board citing their reluctance to exercise their mandate which in this context is protecting Kilimani residents from noise pollution.
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Licenses
She however declined to permanently put the clubs out of business saying that they were issued their licenses by all regulators, albeit irregularly which means that the noisy nightclubs are free to take their business elsewhere.
Kiza Lounge
On paper, Ali Omarou is the owner of Kiza Restaurant and Lounge Nairobi but the face behind the face is CS Karoney.
Business Today has established that Karoney shies off from acknowledging the ownership of the club publicly and entrusts running of the club to Omarou.
Karoney who before her appointment to cabinet in January 2018 was the Chief Operations Officer (COO) at Royal Media Services (RMS) is known to prefer operating in silence which explains her status as a “silent partner” at the club.
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The latter had in an interview with The Star protested attempts to close the club describing the push as “malicious”.
He faulted NEMA for failing to honour invitations to inspect the club’s soundproof systems.
According to him, Kiza is the only East African club to have a soundproof disco and modified headphones.
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