Traders burn villas to protest demolition of kiosks

More than 350 traders in Watamu on Saturday burnt down three villas worth millions of shillings in retaliation to demolition of their kiosks.

The traders - comprising fishermen, curio tour and restaurant operators - razed the villas said to belong to an Italian journalist, a former Italian minister and international football player.

The villas are located near a disputed piece of land at Watamu beach, which also hosts a football ground, a mosque and a fish landing site owned by Kilifi County government.

ARSON
Malindi police boss Matawa Muchangi said the officers accompanied the owner of the disputed land on Saturday morning to the site to enforce a court order.

“However, we are investigating a case of arson following reports that some restaurants and villas were burnt down by goons,” Mr Muchangi added.

Traders were still salvaging their belonging as police officers kept watch when the Nation team arrived.

Ms Khadija Fauz, a resident of Watamu, said the grabbing of the beach and football grounds will force youth to turn to drug and substance abuse since they used to depend on activities at the beach to earn a living.

LAND GRABBING
Ms Amina Sudi, a resident, accused the tycoon - a Mr Anwar - of hiring goons to demolish her restaurant valued at more than Sh1 million.

Ms Sudi also accused the tycoon of having previously grabbed another property in Watamu and sold it at more than Sh14 million.

Some of the restaurants destroyed are Sunrise and Coconut Beach Café, among others.

Mr Abdi Shosi, a fisherman, said that the area was among the three designated landing sites and wondered why it was being grabbed at the expense of locals.

“At 5am when I was going fishing, police forced me to go back home because of the demolitions,” he said.