Private developers have been ordered to pull down structures on access roads constructed in Thika town estates to fast-track tarmacking.
Kiambu county commissioner Wilson Wanyanga said encroachment has derailed tarmacking and rehabilitation of estate roads, saying the illegality will not be condoned.
The commissioner spoke after leading the County Development Coordination Implementation Committee on a tour of the progress of national government projects in Thika on Thursday.
Wanyanga said they had held discussions with the estate developers involved and expect buildings to go down.
The administrator, who was accompanied by MP Patrick Wainaina, called for more engagement with estate developers to have them demolish their buildings on their own or risk demolition by the government.
“We want to engage the developers first as the roads must be constructed,” he said.
Some of the roads under construction are the Sh1.8 billion Thika bypass through Umoja Estate to join Makongeni police station meant to decongest and open up the town.
The 10-kilometre stretch is 26 per cent done and should have been completed except for the extensive encroachment on the road reserve, according to Kenya Urban Roads Authority Central deputy director Jacinta Mwangi.
Mwangi called for more cooperation to fast-track the process.
Other roads whose construction is held back are the Kisii Estate Road, Broadways-Slaughterhouse Road and the General Kago stretch.
MP Wainaina told Kura to begin the construction work on contested areas, mark buildings that have encroached on the roads to prepare owners to start demolishing them.
He said once tarmacking begins, tenants will be forced to vacate buildings that are on road reserves. It would also put off other developers from encroaching onto the roads, he said.
He revealed the frustrations they have experienced from influential persons who have grabbed road reserve land, and most of whom have acquired title deeds through the back door.
“We don’t need to demolish people’s houses overnight, but we should first engage them on the need to move and pull down structures built on road reserves or grabbed land. This way we will save property,” the MP said.
The projects are geared towards enhancing accessibility as well as creating an enabling business environment in the town, he said.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)
