Bobasi MP Stephen Manoti has 14 days to demolish his Sh1 billion building on a river valley, opposite T-Mall on Lang'ata Road, or City Hall will bring it down. The building has been blamed for flooding in Nairobi West, South C and the entire Lang'ata area. Residents and environmentalists have complained that the five-storey commercial building obstructs the flow of the Mutuini-Ngong River causing flooding during the rainy season.
Housing executive Christopher Khaemba said the MP moved to court after being served with the demolition notice and restrained the county from interfering with the building. But City Hall challenged the order. “We were served with a court order that we should not touch the building, but the governor sent lawyers to court last week and we challenged it. So the developer has 14 days to bring down the structure or we do it for him,” he said.
Disaster in waiting
On Sunday, Governor Evans Kidero said the building was to be demolished last year but the court stopped City Hall. “We sent a team of three more lawyers to court last week to reverse that order. We want to bring that building down,” he said. Before going on recess two weeks ago, MCAs asked City Hall to bring down the building, terming it a disaster in waiting.
“All the records from the county physical planning department and Nema show the building is on riparian land,” Makongeni MCA Peter Imwatok said. “We do not understand why the county has not demolished this building, even after the governor visited the site.” The building, which is still under construction, will house shops, offices and a 92-bed hotel.
In February, the National Environment and Management Authority ordered the building demolished. City Hall is also assessing the safety of T-Mall, after it emerged the building has cracks on the walls. Construction of buildings on riparian lands, corruption and violating the law have been blamed for flooding.