The Cabinet Secretary in charge of ICT will have the final say on street naming if Parliament approves a proposed law that seeks to clear hurdles faced by e-commerce and emergency service providers.
Street naming and house numbering remain problematic in Kenya due to poor planning, dealing a blow to delivery firms and emergency service crews such as ambulance and firefighters.
A State-backed National Addressing Bill 2021 now seeks to streamline the naming mainly to spur e-commerce.
“The Cabinet Secretary may make regulations generally for giving effect to this Act, and for prescribing anything required or necessary to be prescribed by or under this Act,” the Bill says.
The Bill is backed by a draft national addressing policy that says that a lack of consolidated, unique, and harmonised legal and policy framework is standing in the way of Kenya’s development.
If the Bill becomes law, any business that names any street or building without State authority will be fined Sh500,000 or its official to be jailed for 10 years. For individuals, the fine will be either Sh100,000 or five years in jail.
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