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Sonko declares war on Nairobi land grabbers


By EVELYNE MUSAMBI

Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko has vowed to fight corruption and cartels within the county government which he claims have cost the tax payer billions of shillings.

In a long post on his official Facebook page, Sonko said that apart from playing his constitutional oversight role to ensure every last coin of the county government allocation is spent accountably, he will also deal with all land grabbers.

“Let land grabbers be put on notice that I will not leave any stone unturned. Dr. Kidero must also undertake to dismantle a cartel at City Hall that has perfected the act of unproceduraly and with impunity repossessing properties of individuals over unpaid land rates, renewal of leases and grabbing of public utilities,” Sonko wrote.

Sonko cited a case of a property owner whose family investment was auctioned while he was in India attending to his sick wife who later passed on, terming it as collaboration among corrupt city officials who do it to benefit the cartels.

“I wish to call on Dr. Kidero to have a soft landing for people whose land rates could be in arrears to first give them an opportunity to discuss and agree on terms on how to clear the arrears rather than rushing to repossess their properties,” he said.

SCHOOLS’ REHABILITATION

The senator also urged Governor Kidero to ensure all primary and secondary schools are rehabilitated so as to avoid issues of leaners being exposed to risks of collapsed old school blocks.

“To keep off land grabbers and the so-called private developers, part of the allocation be used to put up perimeter walls to safeguard school land,” the senator added.

In the same post, Sonko replied to residents’ concerns on the state of county roads along with the uncollected garbage within the Central Business District and in residential estates.

On the issue of garbage fees being paid by residents yet the waste continue to be dumped at the wrong places he stated: “I have noticed that. I will do my investigations and unmask the cartels behind it.”

Sonko also promised to tour different estates with area leaders to monitor the state of county roads and offer permanent solutions to residents.