Scrutiny of construction chain to end impunity

Southend mall building along Langata road in Nairobi on 8th August, 2018 demolished by NEMA . National Environmental Authority { NEMA} is currently demolishing buildings along the Nairobi River bed and promised to demolish about 4,000 structures in the near future.[Edward Kiplimo,Standard]

The public conversation following demolition of restaurants, high-end apartment blocks and malls has exposed our ethical flexibility on matters we need to be more intentional about. According to the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema), no less than 4,000 buildings have encroached on riparian reserves of the Nairobi River ecosystem and must be brought down. Both Government agencies and the public must now reflect on how Nairobi got to this situation and how to stop it in future.

The Nairobi River eco-system defines Nairobi. The Maasai gave our city the name Enkare Nyrobi, the place of water. However, a century of human contamination has left the Ngong, Nairobi, Mathare and Mbagathi rivers so polluted, that residents can be forgiven for thinking the river is in fact an open sewage system.