Anger as bulldozers demolish houses in Kayole
Property worth millions of shillings was destroyed on Wednesday as houses said to have been constructed below power lines were demolished along Kangundo Road, in Nairobi.
The owners watched helplessly as Nairobi County Government bulldozers descended on their houses around 4am.
The operation was meant to get rid of buildings constructed on the one kilometer stretch of land belonging to Kenya Power Company, from Mama Lucy Hospital to Saika Estate.
The structures were constructed right below power lines and other between electricity poles.
There were reports that owners of the housed were duped into buying the controversial land.
COMMON SENSE
Kenya Power corporate communications officer Kevin Sang denied his company was involved in the demolition. He however said they were aware the county government would bring the structures down.
“It is common sense that no one should erect any construction below a power line and those affected should have made inquiries before purchasing the land,” Mr Sang said.
Bulldozers brought down the structures under the watchful eyes of armed policemen from the Kayole Police Station as the owners who claimed they were caught unawares struggled to salvage whatever they could.
Most of the structures were bars, garages and ware houses.
Unlike most demolitions witnessed around the city, the police had an easy time here as the operation went on uninterrupted.
Embakasi MP John Ndirangu accused the county government of causing the locals massive losses by failing to issue house owners with a notice.
Some of those affected had documents showing they bought land from Kiambu Dandora Farmers Company Limited. The county government had consequently given them a go-ahead to put up the structures.
CERTIFICATE OF OWNERSHIP
Pastor Jane Njuguna of Christ Co-workers Fellowship whose church was demolished said she bought the piece of land LR NO 11378/3 in March last year for Sh700,000. She also produced a certificate of ownership she was issued with.
“They told us they owned the land and that we would have no problem with Kenya Power as they had an agreement on ownership of the land,” she said.
“County government officials even approved and even supervised our constructions,” she claimed.
But Kiambu Dandora Farmers Company Limited denied knowledge of any land it had duped people into buying.
“We are not aware of any land we sold to people in that said area,” said an official Stanley Mungai.
“No one sold any land to people through our company. Those linking us to the saga are liars,” said Mr Mungai said.