Nairobi businessman sees home destroyed just weeks before he was due to move in.
Residents of Spring Valley in Nairobi watched in horror as demolition crews moved in and turned an almost complete, eight-bedroom house into a heap of rubble, claiming it was built on a road reserve. The house belonging to businessman Mike Maina Kamau was pulled down in a morning operation led by Roads Minister Franklin Bett and senior ministry officials.
“We are working on the Northern Bypass and this property is built inside a road reserve. Our repeated warnings to the owner to vacate have been ignored. That is why we decided to demolish it,” said the minister.
Mr Bett warned other buildings on the road reserve would also be pulled down to pave way for the construction of the 21 km bypass.
But the owners of the property, which also has a swimming pool, gym and sauna, dismissed the minister’s claims, adding the land was legally acquired. “This building is legally recognised by the Ministry of Lands and the City Council of Nairobi and we have all the documents to prove that. The demolition is illegal and we will seek for damages in court,” said Maina’s brother, Kennedy Wainaina.
Maina’s lawyer, John Mburu, said his client was distressed at the loss of his property.
“My client had invested his hard-earned money to build a home for his family, but an illegal move by the Ministry of Roads has deprived him of his right,” he said.
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