President Uhuru Kenyatta has called on government agencies engaging in the demolition of properties claimed to be on road reserves or on riparian land to proceed with moderation.
National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) and the Kenya National Highways Authority have lately been on a demolition spree with the two agencies demolishing different structures around the country and especially in Nairobi.
The President said that he has been angered by the recent activities undertaken by the agencies stating that they should engage residents in the affected areas before starting any demolitions.
The President was even more annoyed with the fact that some of the demolitions are conducted at night, sometimes without prior notice to the affected individuals. He said that in as much as some of the structures were built on road reserves, the manner in which they were demolished was inhumane and uncalled for.
The president was speaking in Nyeri where he commissioned the construction of Terminal 1 at Nyaribo Airstrip in Nyeri County. The airstrip has opened a direct route for commercial flights between Nyeri and Nairobi, a boost for the transport sector
The President’s remarks were supported by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen who said that the government must protect it’s citizens and the sweat of their brows.
“I totally agree with HE President Uhuru Kenyatta. We must protect our citizens and the Sweat of their Brows. Evictions & demolitions must never undermine the rights of Kenyans not withstanding the justification,” said Murkomen
I totally agree with HE President Uhuru Kenyatta. We must protect our citizens and the Sweat of their Brows. Evictions & demolitions must never undermine the rights of Kenyans not withstanding the justification pic.twitter.com/3tvZ33aytl
— KIPCHUMBA MURKOMEN, E.G.H (@kipmurkomen) November 1, 2018
The President’s new directive on demolitions come as a surprise given that it is him that had earlier said that the demolition of properties built on riparian lands will go on.
The president even added that officials who made approvals for the premises to be built on such lands will be punished.
“We are doing everything to discourage corruption. It is possible to do clean business in Kenya, this is what we want to encourage,” said the president.
It is believed that the President was particularly angered by an incident that took place in Nyeri where a road agency demolished stalls and billboards at dawn in an exercise that caught many traders and companies unaware.
The Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) descended on billboards and stalls built on road reserves to clear way for expansion of the Nyeri-Nairobi highway.
The traders said they had tried negotiating with the officials of the road authority for an extension arguing they have consistently paid the necessary dues to the county government.
But their pleas fell on deaf ears as their structures were felled before dawn.
“We had been told to move our stalls and they had been marked for demolition but they did not tell us when they will start pulling down the structures,” said Ms Miriam Wangechi, a trader.
The traders accused KeNHA of failing to give them enough time to move their property.