M-Pesa safe ‘lost’ as county bulldozers descend on business complex at 1am – PHOTOS + VIDEO
The business complex where Simmers Restaurant once stood was demolished for a second time on Thursday night.
Witnesses said that Nairobi county bulldozers descended on the premises a few minutes after 1am on Thursday.
They claimed that the demolition was supervised by Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, who did not leave his car.
“Sonko was in his car watching as the bulldozers demolished everything in the middle of the night,” said one of the witnesses who had been guarding the business.
He added that a owner of an M-Pesa shop lost a safe but he was not sure if it had any valuables.
A hydraulic vehicle alignment machine was also destroyed in the process.
PLANNED DEMOLITIONS
The demolition comes after a Nairobi magistrate declined to stop the planned demolitions.
Pimp My Ride East Africa had rushed to court on Tuesday arguing that a notice given to him by the County Government of Nairobi was expiring on July 9.
The owner, Peter Nderitu claims to have all the approvals, including building permits from the county government, and that he has been occupying the premises on the strength of a lease between him and the landlord.
He says all was well until July 2 when he received a seven-day notice stating that the construction was illegal.
In May, the garage owner was caught unawares after it was demolished on grounds that it is an illegal structure with several stalls built in the plot also affected.
The garage, Pimp My Ride, was opened soon after Simmers Restaurant was demolished a year ago.