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{
    "id": 832619,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/832619/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 57,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sakaja",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13131,
        "legal_name": "Johnson Arthur Sakaja",
        "slug": "johnson-arthur-sakaja"
    },
    "content": "Over the last few months, we have witnessed the implementation of an initiative by the Nairobi regeneration team on reclaiming public land, road reserves and riparian land. The results yielded have seen several high-valued properties and buildings such as Air-Gate Mall, Nakumatt Ukay, Southern End Mall, among many others, demolished. This is an effort that we will support and agree that the rule of law in the construction of buildings must be followed and conservation of our environment must take priority. However, we need a more pragmatic approach in dealing with this issue even as we continue supporting the initiative. Among the 4,000 buildings so far earmarked for demolition in Nairobi, there are innocent Nairobi residents who have purchased apartments and they did their due diligence at the time of purchasing to confirm that the buildings and properties had all the necessary approvals as required by the various Government agencies. As a Government, you cannot come later and punish these innocent buyers, who are mostly second and third owners, taking them through undue emotional pressure, torture and financial loss. It is absolutely irresponsible for Government agencies to give approvals and even Government officials to participate in ground breaking ceremonies of some of these real estate projects, only to later deny or revoke the approvals leading to loss of millions of shillings in investments and simply blame it on corrupt officials. These are issues that cannot be handled in such a simplistic manner, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Therefore, I request that the Chairperson, in his response, should tell us- (1) Which areas in Nairobi City County are officially marked as riparian land, public land and road reserves? (2) What are the plans for the areas that have already been demolished after the demolition? (3) Whether the Government agencies have explored - and which alternative ways can be explored - of dealing with some of these buildings instead of demolishing them altogether? (4) What mechanisms have been put in place to ensure the rights of innocent residents, who purchased or invested heavily in these “condemned” properties are not infringed upon? (5) What legal action is being taken against the officials of various Government agencies who gave fraudulent approvals? (6) Have all the officials involved in all the already demolished buildings been arraigned in court and charged? Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Chairman of the Committee should note that just today, the Cabinet has approved guidelines for the framework for the affordable housing programme. This framework and guidelines cannot be to also demolish buildings of those who are already in houses. I have just come from Mbagathi Highrise together with the National Assembly Committee, and in as much as we are looking at building plans and drawings, we must look at the faces of children, mothers and hardworking Kenyans for whom we cannot provide housing. We cannot be demolishing their houses and then saying on the other side that we are trying to get affordable housing for the residents of Nairobi and the residents of Kenya."
}