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Relief as agency extends Seefar Apartment demolition notice


Seefar Apartment owners can heave a sigh of relief after Water Resources Management Authority (Warma) extended the deadline of the demolition notice to next year.

The state agency extended the notice by 90 days to enable it undertake thorough checks on the compliance documents issued to the property’s developer.

In a letter by the Authority’s acting deputy technical coordination manager Mr John Kinyanjui, the extension order takes effect from November 13, 2018 for the next 90 days.

“We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 31 on the above order S/No.30365 issued to Edermann Properties. The order was issued during the ongoing multi-agency interventions under the Nairobi Regeneration programmes for structures encroaching on the Ngong River Riparian Reserve.

‘CHECK COMPLIANCE’

“It has been resolved that the authority extends the deadline of the order issued by 90 days with effect from November 13, 2018 to enable us check compliance to previously issued orders, if the riparian extent was observed as stated in your letter and other emerging issues,” read in part the letter to the apartment’s developer, Erdermann Property limited and dated October 31.

The letter was copied to WARMA chief executive officer and National Environment Management Authority (Nema) director general Professor Geoffrey Wahungu.

Last month, Nema and the state agency gave the developer of the residential property in Nyayo Highrise, Nairobi 14 days demolition notice, saying that the building sits on Nairobi Dam’s riparian reserve.

The developer was ordered to restore the reserve within 90 days on grounds that the 12-storey building with 260 units was affecting the flow of Ngong River.

Nema said that the building was put up in contravention of Cap 387 of the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act (EMCA).