MPs protest as governor orders demolition of illegal structures

Nakuru, Kenya: The demolition of illegal structures in Nakuru town by the county government has angered local MPs, putting them on a collision course with Governor Kinuthia Mbugua.

Scenes of running battles between police, county askaris and youths have become common in the town, as traders and some leaders resist the violent demolitions.

The confrontation follows a move by the Governor to rid Nakuru of illegal structures, which, he says, have ruined the image of the town, once the region’s cleanest urban centre.

The zeal with which the Governor has gone about the demolition considered a hot potato in the county has caught local elected leaders by surprise. To show how emotive the issue is, a Member of the County Assembly (MCA) broke into tears after touring the scene of recent demolition in his ward.

Before the demolitions, Mbugua enjoyed the support of the county’s 11 MPs, but the evictions has now strained his relationship with the legislators.

Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria moved to court and obtained temporary orders restraining the county government from demolishing more kiosks, pending the hearing and determination of the case.

The MP even caused a scene outside the Governors’ office when he went to protest against the continued demolition of the structures.

Gikaria and his Nakuru West Counterpart Samuel Arama later led a group of youths in destroying landscapes and flowers planted on roads in the town.

They accused the county government of demolishing kiosks put up by the hawkers and planting flowers instead. But despite the resistance, the Governor maintains the demolitions will go on. “The demolition is ongoing. The county government feels it is a priority to rid the Nakuru Central District of illegal and unplanned structures,” a statement from the Governor’s office said, asking the traders to remove wares from stalls to avoid losses.

The Governor insists that the exercise is aimed at ensuring the town reclaims its glory of being the cleanest town in East Africa.

On several occasions, county government enforcement officers have had to beat a hasty retreat whenever they try to remove hawkers or demolish illegal structures. Each time a confrontation would occur between the hawkers and county workers, Gikaria or Arama would promptly turn up to show solidarity with the traders.

In recent incidents, moments after the county askaris demolished structures on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway under the cover of darkness, Arama showed up and vowed to help the traders rebuild. “Demolishing stalls at night is not only inhuman but primitive. I am going to assist you to buy iron sheets and rebuild the structures,” he told affected traders.

 

County askaris accompanied by police later descended on kiosks around Afraha Stadium, where they destroyed the structures.

For close to four hours, youths angered by the county government move battled police, paralysing business in the adjacent areas and the popular Kanu Street. In the ensuing melee, scores were injured while 13 youths were arrested.

Gikaria, hitherto an ally of the Governor, has bitterly fallen out with him over the demolition, which the MP feels target his support base.

Gikaria, whose capacity to mobilise youths in the sprawling estates in the town is unrivaled, served at one point as the town Mayor under the defunct Municipal Council of Nakuru. Sources indicate the county government decided to move decisively after learning that some of the politicians were acquiring space in the town, constructing stalls and selling them to the residents.

In an intricate web involving elements from some criminal gangs, those interested have been forced to part with huge sums of money, which is shared with the politicians.

“It is well known that some of these politicians have been using gangs to extort money from stall owners and those who fail to pay are kicked out,” a trader near the Nakuru Wholesale Market who sought anonymity, said.

The Governor has, however, cautioned residents against paying any money for Kiosks or stalls in the town. “It has come to our notice that there are people demanding money to allocate the stalls, you should not pay anybody. The land belongs to you and the Kiosks are free,” the Governor said.

The Governor said MPs opposed to the exercise have been un-cooperative and have no good intentions in the developing and re-building of the County.

He has reiterated his commitment in ensuring all illegal structures are cleared and have traders operate in properly approved areas.

“Shun leaders who have no other agenda but to derail the great efforts and strides the county government is involved in and which will eventually come to full fruition,”he added.