Residents of Muthaiga have condemned the diversion of a section of Nairobi River at Thigiri Valley next to the new Muthaiga shopping centre.
A fortnight ago, The Nairobian highlighted the issue, prompting City Hall to stop construction of a wall blocking the river, but residents claim that was just meant to cool rising tension.
The wall blocking the river is part of the fifty by hundred plot on riparian land that has been lying idle for years. Some residents now claim powerful figures are attempting to grab the plot, and are worried this might expose their homes to floods.
Richard Gicheru, a member of Muthaiga Residents Association, told The Nairobian that, “They started constructing the wall in December last year, and when we reported the matter, some City Hall officers visited the scene and temporarily stopped the construction.”
He added that, “Diversion of the river caused floods at a section of Westlands in April and we are now afraid that we are yet to see the worst.”
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When The Nairobian visited the area, some of the sections marked by City Hall stopping the construction had been repainted.
Christopher Khaemba, the Lands executive, without revealing plot’s owner in a brief report on the matter has however said that, “We visited the site after receiving complaints in April about the illegal wall around the New Muthaiga Shopping Centre. The site was found to have been approved by Nairobi City County, but the developer was to construct a wall on the three sides of the plot — the side that faces the river was to have a chain-link fence to avoid encroaching on the riparian land.”
Khaemba added that, “An enforcement notice was issued to the developer requiring him to demolish the wall facing the river and replace it with a chain-link fence.”
— Pkemoi Ng’enoh
