Prime Place Restaurant near Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi was among structures that were demolished on Friday morning for encroaching onto the Kenya Railways land reserve. The main structure in the area housed a restaurant, a pharmacy, a salon, a boutique and a cosmetics shop.
People who reported to work in the morning said they were horrified to find the structures flattened or in the process of being demolished.
Tenants reported that they were not served with the vacation notice after their landlord was told to tear down the structures. Majority of them pulled their belongings from the debris during the exercise that began at dawn.
Authorities said, however, that the vacation notice was issued back in 2018. The structures that were torn down were less than 30 meters or 100ft from the course of the railway line.
Kenyans have gone to twitter to demand for the demolition of illegally acquired Weston Hotel as well.
#WeWantWestonDown Prime Place Restaurant to be demolished having been built on Kenya Railways land, while Weston Hotel survives, this is impunity of the highest rank in our watch. Kweli mnyonge hana lake. #CorruptAndDangerous pic.twitter.com/kvVxyj7hNM
— Simiyu Wekesa Samuel (@ssimiyusamuel) February 15, 2019
Kenya railways has massive assets that are under utilised. These can be turned into economically meaningful assets by leasing them out. I don’t see how having them idle helps the nation.
— Ezekiel Oranga (@EOranga) February 15, 2019
A country that only understands the word “CORRUPTION” more than the voices of its own Citizens. Where will the workers Go? and what happens to the Space? “Kenya Railways”
— Lawrence (@LabdokiJuma) February 15, 2019
Prime Place restaurant construcyed on Kenya Railways land reserve brought down as Kenyans call for Weston hotel to be demolished for sitting on grabbed public land pic.twitter.com/a3peAEIP6D
— #OMOLOS?? (@its_always_gabu) February 15, 2019