Trouble for NASA senator as Government told to demolish his house

A senator allied to the National Super Alliance (NASA) is in trouble after a group instructed Government to demolish his house.

Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala could lose his home that is said to be built on riparian reserve in Milimani estate.

The one storey house is barely 500 metres from Kakamega State Lodge and Masinde Muliro University.

A lobby group, Western Land Alliance, has since petitioned the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) and the county government to demolish the house and reposes the wetland.

Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala house (foreground) and his father’s resident at Milimani Estate in Kakamega town which could be demolished. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard] 

The Alliance chairman Ayub Maleche, said they want the lawmaker interrogated and action taken against him for encroaching on wetland.

“We request Nema to demolish the house with immediate effect because the property has been built on grabbed riparian and wetland,” read the petition dated August 13 and copied to Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, county speaker Morris Buluma as well as Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

But Senator Malala dismissed claims that he had put up a home on wetland.

“Those people are ignorant they do not understand that all wetlands in the country are gazetted. The said piece of land was bought in 2001, let them bring their petition to Senate,” Malala said.

This is not the first time Malala has found himself on the defensive against claims that he had grabbed the piece of land. In the run up to August 8, 2017 elections, the senator’s political rivals used the same allegations as a campaign tool against Malala who was then Mahiakalo Ward representative.

Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala. [Courtesy]

Nema had dispatched a team of officers from Kakamega regional office to gather facts and write a report to that effect.

NEMA communication officer Evans Nyabuto, promised to release details about the report once its ready.