Waititu barred from turning Thika Posta land into bus park

The Environment and Land Court in Thika has stopped the Kiambu County government from turning part of a four-acre piece of land in Makongeni, Thika Town, into a bus park.

The Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK), which owns the land, got an order from the court in Thika on January 4, barring the building of the bus park until the case is heard and determined.

PCK sought the orders after Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu and his supporters invaded the prime land on the Thika-Garissa highway several times last December and promised to establish a bus park on it to reduce traffic congestion.

LEVELLED GROUND

True to his word, the Waititu administration levelled the ground, installed street lights and named the property Makongeni Bus Park.

It was launched on Saturday and about 30 matatu saccos began operating from it.

But on Sunday morning, they were met by a contingent of anti-riot police who prevented them from using the park.

Kiambu County Road and Infrastructure Executive Juliet Kimemia told the Nation, "They (tenants) approached us asking for a partnership to help turn the property into a bus park because they did not have the capacity. No one has grabbed any land. Posta will continue getting its dues until the leases expire."

But the corporation maintained that its contracts with the tenants do not allow them to sublease the property, or to build a bus park on the land.