One of the people carrying out the ongoing demolition is reported to have been injured when the wall curved in on the bulldozer he was operating.
The Mall located in Westlands Nairobi County has been demolished by National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) as it moves to reclaim riparian land. The demolitions kicked off as early as 5AM on Friday.
Yesterday, the owners of a prime property targeted for demolition went to court to have authorities restrained from interfering with the building.The court declined to grant their wishes.
JUST IN: One of the people carrying out the demolition at Ukay Mall slightly injured- One of the walls is said to have fallen on the excavator #DayBreak pic.twitter.com/RxLRtkZyRe
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 10, 2018
Ukay mall becomes the third multi-million structure to be destroyed this week after bulldozers descended on Southend Mall along Langata Road on Wednesday.
The authorities said that the building had been build on Ngong river, and was the cause of flooding in South C, Nairobi West and the entire Langata area.
Authorities have been considering using explosives to complete the demolition of the mall as lack of fuel for two trucks and two bulldozers saw the demolition delayed. The building is owned by former Bobasi MP Stephen Manoti.
President Uhuru Says Demolition Will Go On
President Uhuru on Thursday ordered arrest of people who gave out riparian land. He said that the demolitions will go on and people who approved putting up of buildings on riparian land should be brought to book.
This was Nakumatt Ukay when it rains. And here it is today. Nature wins. Always. pic.twitter.com/yBygiZI3Dh
— Ahmed Mohamed (@Asmali77) August 10, 2018
The Head of State singled out those who endorsed construction of the buildings as law offenders, who will be pursued and prosecuted.
Uhuru noted on his twitter account: “We will continue to demolish properties constructed on riparian lands, equally punish officials who made approvals for those properties.”
We will continue to demolish properties constructed on riparian lands, equally punish officials who made approvals for those properties. We are doing everything to discourage corruption. It is possible to do clean business in Kenya, this is what we want to encourage. pic.twitter.com/MPsrTJw4wj
— Uhuru Kenyatta (@UKenyatta) August 9, 2018
He stated that the demolition exercise is part of cracking a whip on corruption and that the government is committed to ensuring that people can conduct clean business in the country.
This comes after Nairobi County Governor Mike Sonko talked tough on land grabbers and indicated demolition that exercise will carry on and ‘no single house deemed to be built on wetlands will be spared, even his own.’
He said that his own plot in Buru Buru Estate is among structures earmarked for demolition because they were constructed on road reserve.
Sonko indicated that there are 15 public facilities in the city, whose land have been grabbed and that he will do anything ensure that public property is regained. “Better be a one term governor and leave a legacy than entertaining grabbing of public land and utilities,” Sonko posted on his Facebook page.