Al Capone Nax Vegas given 14 days to address noise pollution concerns
Construction ongoing at the soon to be opened Al Capone Lounge
Al Capone entertainment Club in Nakuru has been issued with a 14-day compliance notice by the county government over noise pollution complaints, with Menengai Ward MCA Wilson Mwangi threatening to push for its closure.
Nakuru County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Environment Roselyne Mungai confirmed to Mtaa Wangu that the department had received complaints from the surrounding community and issued the notice, requiring the establishment to take measures to contain noise from its premises.
“We had already visited the area and issued a notice. The notice has not lapsed with at least seven days remaining, but we are still following it up,” Mungai said.
She said the county had advised the club to consider soundproofing its premises and repositioning its speakers to direct sound inward rather than towards neighboring properties.
Mungai added that the department would assess the club’s compliance once the notice period expires and could halt its operations if it failed to meet the required legal conditions spelled out by National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) as far as noise pollution is concerned.
“Moving forward the county will bring together the afflicted group to help foster good relations between the community and Alcapone’s management to see how they can co-exist with each other to solve the matter amicably,” Mungai noted.
The complaints have also drawn the attention of Menengai Ward MCA, who alleged that the noise is affecting schools and hospitals near the entertainment space other than residents.
“We have several schools around the area, including Nakuru High School, Nakuru Girls and Upper Hill secondary school, and hospitals which are affected by the noise,” Mr Mwangi alias Wa Jeff said in an interview with a local media outlet.
The MCA further claimed that formal complaints had been lodged with the NEMA, but no action had been taken. He warned that they would push for the club’s closure if the authority failed to intervene.
However, NEMA County Director Joseph Kopejo said the authority had not received any formal complaint from community members, advising residents to channel their concerns through the county government.
“We have not received any formal complaint from the community. My advice is that residents relay these complaints to the county environment department, as the matter is a devolved issue,” Kopejo said.
Meanwhile, Alcapone manager Samuel Wangewa questioned the complaints, suggesting that some concerns could be malicious.
“If such complaints are from the political class, who are seeking their political mileage, those are not complaints,” he said.
Wangewa, however, indicated that the club had taken steps to comply with the requirements by reducing music volumes and removing some speakers from outside the premises.
“We have sound proofed the premises and the music volumes are down. Not as before,” he said.
The manager also condemned utterance from the Menengai Wards MCA accusing him of mobilizing people to demonstrate against the business, describing the move as irresponsible and raising concerns over the club’s security.