Westlands residents up in arms against the mushrooming storey buildings in the area as land belonging to the Kingdom of Kuwait is earmarked for development
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For a long time, Westlands had cut an image of a serene upmarket residential area with its green scenery a constant sight. This however is quickly changing and very soon Westlands will be a concrete residential area thanks to the craze of putting up high end storey buildings to house the ever growing city population. This craze has not gone down well with the residents who have lived in the area for over 40 years.
According to Rhapta road residents, the plan to put up high end storey buildings will further strain the already over stretched infrastructure. The strain on water supply, electricity, sewer and power cannot be imagined.
“We have noted with utmost concern the rate at which city hall is approving storey buildings in this area without considering the ability of the existing infrastructure to sustain the additional population that the new buildings will bring” lamented one resident during a public participation excercise on Rhapta road.
Poor or no public participation before approval of buildings in the area.
Residents have further pointed an accusing finger on some “big men” at city hall who are working in cohort with developers to hurriendly approve the constructions with zero regards to what the neighbours feel or say.
“We are being treated to a scenario where public participations are haphazardly carried out. Today we have seen one of the biggest insult to our collective inteligence as a community residing here on Rhapta road. We have seen a developer purporting to be carrying out a public participation while on the other hand he is busy mobilising heavy machinery ready to proceed with the excavation in readiness for construction. This disregard of the law is being done in broad daylight as the county authorities responsible for the regularization watch” a participant noted.
Public participation on Mkoko close off Rhapta rd
These sentiments were echoed by area MCA Hon Alai. The straight shooting law maker had no kind words for NEMA officers who were in attendance
“NEMA office is the weakest link in our county when it comes to helping regulate construction in this city.I will be very clear in pointing out that this department has some very corrupt officers whom we have all seen holding brief for the developer. We must be firm and call them out for who they are” said Alai.
The meeting according to Alai was illegal for it did not meet the legal framework set out in the act.
Environmental Management and Coordination (Amendment) Act (EMCA) This law provides for environmental protection in Kenya. Article 49 promotes the use of renewable energy and the planting of trees.
Part of the Rhapta road residents at a public participation on mkoko close
Kingdom of Kuwait land is again at the center of controversy as a new developer plunges into the mix.
A property on Mkoko close off Rhapta road is yet again making news even as a developer is set to construct a 20 storey building on the property which has been a subject of a legal tussle between the governments of Kuwait and Kenya.
For four years from. 2012 to 2016, the property was at the center of a litigation tussle between Shimoni company limited and the government of Kenya. According to former lands cabinet minister James Orengo, the land was fraudulently acquired yet legally it belongs to the government of Kuwait. To safeguard the good relationship between Kenya and Kuwait, the Kenyan government handed it back to Kuwait. It baffles many residents how the same property has switched ownership prompting them to raise the alarm. Despite the city county not approving or issuing the change of use as is the norm legally, the developer was proceeding with public participation as NEMA officers from the city county watched.
Title deed showing that the land belongs to the kingdom of Kuwait. 
Read the link below to understand how ownership of the land inquestion has been shaping up.
With ownership questions being whispered, residents too are pushing for compensation due to the loss and psychological torture caused by the developer when his machines disrupted by way of dismantling electricity lines, water lines and fibre cables.
Details of the said developer on Mkoko close.
Read also:
Construction on plot no 1870/111/233 located on School lane ongoing despite suspension order by NCC. Who is fooling who? https://goodmorningkenya.com/wp/?p=16082
Residents demand compensation.
“The least we expect from the developer is compensation. We have seen our neighbours spend the night in cars outside their residence simply because the heavy tracks the developer had used to mobilise the cranes have broken down thus denying us access to our homes. Electricity, water and fibre lines have been interfered with forcing us not to work online , no power and water. We demand for monetary compensation” said Hon Sonia Birdi a resident .
These sentiments were also echoed by Madam Petronila the CEO of Westlands District and residents association an umbrella group that champions the interests of both residents and business community in Westlands..
Nema officers have said that they are yet to issue a licence to the project proponents, this begs the questions,:. 1. How did 3 or 4 trucks deliver the magnitude of steel structure without permissions? 2. What forms the basis of this mobilisation? 3. The residents were thoroughly inconvenienced. Who compensates them” ? Wondered Petronilla CeO Westlands District residents Association.
The Mkoko close incident is not an isolated case, developers have invaded Westlands ready to put up storey buildings but they are deliberately bending laws as authorities watch. The Mkoko close saga has raised several concerns and residents are yet to get answers. It is feared that the agencies tasked with ensuring compliance is infact siding with some crooked developers. A case in point is Mkoko close where both the area chief and his assistant attended the purported public participation incognito, no introduction or official regalia which raised several questions. Who is this big man at city hall that facilitaes the issuance of approval permits without ensuring compliance ?
