Ondokea laini Kenya Power operation shows no mercy for victims of illegal stuctures

Members of the public watch as a bulldozer demolishes a building in Lang’ata, Nairobi, on July 20, 2013. Demolitions in Kayole estate, led by the Nairobi County government, last week got rid of structures along a wayleave belonging to the Kenya Power Company. PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Demolitions of illegal structures on power line reserves by Kenya Power is targeting at least 2,000 more buildings on their main power line.

Kenya Power Security Services Manager Geoffrey Kigen said that the operation, dubbed Ondokea Laini, resumed this week after a long hiatus.

He said that about 700 illegal structures were flattened last week.

This week they will be tearing down illegal structures in Mihang’o, Mowlem and Dandora power substation.

“We gave them notices in December last year, done sensitisations, marked the buildings on the wayleaves and told the owners to remove them. Apparently some had not done so and those are the ones we are removing. This week we will concentrate on the main KPLC line,” said Mr Kigen.

A wayleave is a right of way over the land of another and is designed for carrying sewer, drain, power line or pipeline into, through, over or under any lands.

Last week, Mr Kigen said the exercise was done in some parts of Buruburu Farmers land where about 700 structures were torn down.

Kenya Power guidelines allow structures built 20 metres on either side of a 220kV power line and 15 metres on either side of a 132kV line.

“It is a multi-agency operation involving over 20 government agencies that have wayleaves which has been ongoing on unsafe buildings in Nairobi. We have removed thousands of such illegal structures and we have around 2, 000 structures pending,” he said.

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