Buildings to go down as KeNHA reclaims road reserves in Kisii

What you need to know:

  • The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has asked the affected developers to vacate the road reserves.
  • As soon as the KeNHA personnel began their work, the owner of Green Valley Academy realised she would incur massive losses.
  • A shopkeeper in Jogoo area, Mr Edward Basweti, said that the notices were given by KeNHA a week before the 2016/2017 budget was read.
  • Mr Njogu clarified that the demolitions are yet to start, but said that the process would soon commence.

When people living along the busy Kisii-Nyamira highway heard of a government plan to expand it, many celebrated, seeing it a sign of good things to come.

The good news has, however, arrived with a pronouncement of doom and gloom among a previously envied group living next to the tarmac.

In a land where property prices increase sharply based on proximity to the tarmac, the landowners are staring at financial ruin in the run-up to the start of the expansion project.

This follows a notice issued by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to the affected developers to vacate the road reserves.

Scores of buildings on either side of the more than 20-kilometre stretch of road from Kisii Prison to Ikonge shopping centre are dotted with the red or yellow “X” on their walls, gates and fences.

BUILDINGS MARKED FOR DEMOLITION

Among the buildings earmarked for demolition are part of the Salvation Army and Kisii Children’s Home perimeter walls, the Ilobi Shopping Complex, part of Greenhill Academy’s wall, part of Green Valley’s classroom block, the front section of the Sakagwa Gardens, Borabu Shopping Mart and several private residences and shops, among others.

Margaret Atogo had some misgivings about the expansion project.

As soon as the KeNHA personnel began their work, the owner of Greenhill Academy realised she would incur massive losses.

“Whenever road projects come to our region, structures close to the road are normally pulled down.

“In my case, I suspected that part of my wall or all of it would be affected by the road project,” she told the Nation.

When the KeNHA staff arrived at the school, they not only marked her wall for demolition, but also went ahead to mark a two-storey classroom block for demolition.

PALATIAL HOME

In the next compound that houses her residence, they marked her palatial home for demolition as well.

She says that the two properties are valued at almost Sh80 million.

“For a long time, I was stunned. With one stroke, my family’s lifetime work and investment is set to disappear in a heap of rubble,” she said.

“The issue is traumatising, coming just four years after my husband’s untimely death. My children took me to a counsellor to help me cope with the stress of the potential loss, now this,” she said.

Ms Atogo is the wife to former UNEP official James Atogo, who perished in a road accident in June 2012.

She survived the accident, but has never regained the full use of her legs, walking with great difficulty.

“Where do these people want me to go? I no longer have the strength to run around looking for fresh land and property elsewhere. My school and house is all I have left,” she said.

A shopkeeper in the Jogoo area, Edward Basweti, said the notices were given by KeNHA a week before the 2016/2017 budget was read.

NO NEED FOR EXPANSION

“We do not understand why the government chose to expand the road when we hardly ever experience traffic jams [here].

“Expanding the busy Kisii-Nairobi highway would have made more economic sense,” he said.

Another trader, Sarah Kerubo, said that she rebuilt her kiosk as soon as the KeNHA bulldozers demolished it.

“I had nowhere else to go. Until I see the tarmac actually being laid in the area, I will continue to carry out my small potato chips business,” the mother of one said.

According to KeNHA Public Relations Officer Charles Njogu, the affected buildings were erected on land set aside for a road reserve.

“The buildings marked for demolition are encroaching on the road reserve, and vacation notification has been issued by the Authority to the encroaching parties as provided for [in law],” said Mr Njogu.

He, however, defended the roads body from criticism on the planned demolition, saying that the owners had already been notified [to remove] structures constructed on road reserves.

“The Authority has, however, given the encroachers adequate notification for voluntary relocation of the encroaching structures,” he said.

Mr Njogu clarified that the demolitions are yet to start, but said that the process would soon commence.