Loss in millions as City hall demolishes business complex located on former Simmers club land

A car wash structure along Kenyatta Avenue that was demolished by Nairobi city council officials terming it illegal. [Beverlyne Musili/Standard]

Property worth millions of shillings was yesterday destroyed as officers from City Hall demolished a business complex located on the former Simmers club land.

The complex is located at the junction of Kenyatta Avenue and Muindi Mbingu Street in Nairobi’s Central Business District.

The owners of six businesses located opposite 680 Hotel woke up to the dreaded site of a bulldozer in front of their business before they were unceremoniously thrown out.

Businesses located on the land included “pimp my ride” car wash, “Chapa copy” a photocopying business, an Mpesa shop, an electronics shop as well as a stall selling urban wear.

Daniel Muraya, an Mpesa shop owner and seller of electronics, said the traders were accosted by inspectorate officers who introduced themselves and proceeded to arrest the workers for no clear reason.

Another business owner who only chose to be identified as Anthony said the owner of the property had already moved to court challenging the demolitions and seeking compensation from the county government.

A county director who spoke on condition of anonymity confessed that there was no court order issued for the demolition and that the officers were acting on “orders from above”.

The director hinted that the demolition was linked to an incident where Governor Mike Sonko halted the demolition of a church and school in Buru Buru. He said that the individual responsible for evicting the church and school from the Buru Buru land was also the owner of the land where simmers formally stood.