BY ERIC WAINAINA

KIAMBU COUNTY: A church building under construction in Kiambu town alleged to be on a public land has been demolished.

Two earthmovers belonging to the county governmen arrived with hired youths and descended on the building belonging to Christian Foundation Fellowship Church on Wednesday night.

It was not clear who had led the demolition but some members of the church accused a county ward representative of leading the demolition.

The construction is under a parcel situated near Kiambu GK Prison.

A ward representative in Kiambu had previously said the land had been earmarked for the construction of a library and a youth polytechnic.

Rev Willy Wanderi who is in charge of the church termed the demolition an act of blasphemy. “We watch and wait. A church in not a place to demolish like a toilet. Nobody fought the church and those who did together with their children never live,” he said. According to him, there is a matter going on in court over the land’s ownership and they have a court order barring the demolition of the church until the case is heard and determined.

Wanderi said the church genuinely acquired the land with the approval of the Municipal Council of Kiambu and displayed some documents as proof of ownership.

“The land was given to us six years ago and letters of approval as well as the plan were signed by the council. The Local Authority Ministry also approved it,” he said.

Kiambu town clerk Henry Wanyundi said the council allocated the plot to the church and the process to acquire a title was ongoing.

Road reserve

“They had been allocated some plots elsewhere but it was later designed that a sewer line would pass there and therefore they were compensated with the controversial plot and that was approved by the ministry,” he said.

He however denied having approved the planning and acknowledged that there are parties claiming that the plot is public land.

Recently, property worth millions of shillings was lost as bulldozers moved in to demolish buildings in Lang’ata’s Uzima Gardens Estate to pave way for the southern bypass. The buildings consisting of homes and a church are said to be standing on a road reserve.