Just when Kenyans thought that the dreaded SANY was done, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has given a fourteen-day demolition notice for the Seefar Apartments in Nyayo Highrise Estate.
According to NEMA, the apartment block that holds two hundred and sixty houses is said to be on riparian land therefore encroaching on Nairobi Dam. The Edermann management have been ordered to restore the reserve within ninety days after the demolition on claims that the building has affected the flow of the Ngong River.
However, the order comes as a shock to the proprietor, John Rajwayi who argues that the water sources agency approved the construction of the apartment building on this very land. The government’s intentions are also in question after it has emerged that the then Minister for Housing, the Late Soita Shitanda, launched the project in 2012 meaning that it also had State approval.
Kenyans had a lot to say with many of them questioning why the government and government agencies would approve the construction of a building only to come and demolish it a few years later.
Wow! So the GOK approved the constrution of Seefar apartments and now wants to demolish it.. This is Kenya #SeefarDemolition State vows to prioritise low cost housing developments https://t.co/pYCYDQKWoQ
— LENNOX 🇰🇪 (@Lennie_Guy) October 13, 2018
Me thinks, at the very least, a Government should be collectively responsible for its actions.
It's one entity!
If the Government Depts/Ministries decide to publicly disagree on procedures, the buyers must be protected – they are the innocent party!#Seefardemolition
— Sylvia Waweru🦋🌸 (@S_Waweru) October 13, 2018
Seefar Developer met each and every legal requirement. Project was supervised, inspected and approved by WARMA and NEMA as late as 2015. pic.twitter.com/P6cjVVnCyy
— PDG Martin (@MartinMulwa) October 13, 2018
According to online reactions, the bigger problem here seems to be greedy and corrupt government officials rather than the actual encroachment on riparian land. It’s now a headache for all those who have been living in the apartment block as they need to vacate the premises in fourteen days ahead of the planned demolition.
My family, and nearly 287 others, have lived in Seefar Apartments for close to 5 years. It's had its ups and downs but now we're earmarked for demolition and should vacate in 14days from yesterday. <A Thread> #Seefardemolition pic.twitter.com/z8XtqBKWHv
— Wambui JL (@wambuijl) October 13, 2018
Again, I repeat, if indeed we're on riparian reserve land. Then let #SANY come. But we're not going down without a fight. Surely the Govt cannot continually allow impunity within their ranks allow it then disallow it when subsequent Govts take over. #seefardemolition
— Wambui JL (@wambuijl) October 13, 2018
With the mission of reclaiming riparian land, the notice served to the management of Seefar apartments comes after the government brought down the Shell petrol station in Kileleshwa, South End Mall, Ukay Mall and the most recent Airgate Center (Taj Mall.)