More structures brought down in city estate

The ongoing Demolition of buildings along Nairobi River by Nairobi River Re-generation Task Force on Tuesday 7, 2018. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Part of an apartment block in Kileleshwa has been pulled down in the ongoing demolition of structures in Nairobi.

The Nairobi River Regeneration task force said although the entire Caribbean Park Apartments block was to be destroyed, it was partially demolished because the management pleaded for three weeks to bring down the building itself.

The building is said to have encroached on the river. Several perimeter walls in the area were also demolished.

“We are also human and since the (Caribbean) management has requested to be allowed to destroy part of the building that had encroached on the river, we will allow them more time,” said Julius Wanjau, the task force’s operations manager.

About 4,000 illegal buildings in the city are targeted in the ongoing demolitions to protect Nairobi River.

The owners of houses whose perimeter walls were demolished on Monday were busy rebuilding them using iron sheets. The owners of Taj apartments had contracted workers to put up perimeter walls using timber and iron sheets, but these were quickly demolished by bulldozers.

The caretakers and owners of the houses watched helplessly as their buildings were reduced to rubble. National Environment Management Authority (Nema) officials ignored pleas to spare the buildings.

“If you destroy the walls in a haphazard manner this will affect the foundation and sink the entire block of apartments. We appeal to Nema to at least give us time to salvage our goods,” said a caretaker only identified as Rufus.

Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati visited the scene yesterday and pledged his support for the demolitions.

Block of apartments

From Kileleshwa, the demolitions are expected to head to Lang'ata Road, where more buildings are targeted. A building opposite T-Mall is expected to be brought down.

The county environment executive, Larry Wambua, supported the demolitions, terming them long overdue. He urged the national government to help reclaim and save the polluted river