Abdulswammad says demolishing illegally built houses is his last solution to Mombasa flooding menace
Counties
By
Winfrey Owino
| Apr 24, 2023
Mombasa Governor Abdulswammad Sharif Nassir says he does not plan to demolish buildings and structures built illegally in the coastal county.
His sentiments come hours after parts of Mombasa County experienced flooding after overnight rain that went into the following morning.
In an exclusive interview with Spice FM on Monday, April 24 morning, Abdulswammad confirmed that most floods in Mombasa are a result of corrupt authorities who issue permits illegally.
He says that he plans to work with the property owners to find a solution to the problem, which has been affecting Mombasa residents every rainy season.
"Do we have a problem? Yes. Is it maintainable? Yes. Redoing the entire drainage system for Mombasa will cost us billions. People just decided to build their structures, especially in areas like Bamburi. They went ahead and built structures illegally and without permits," Abdulswammad says.
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"We will regularise you, am not going to stutter an already struggling economy. They will only be made to pay fines," he adds.
He has also vowed to crack the whip on rogue county officers who issue permits to property owners, without meeting the required threshold.
"If you (county government officials) permitted and issued an occupation license to allow people to occupy buildings and you declared the building fit. Expect a show cause letter," the first-time governor declared.
"We will be very strict, extremely strict. Right now, there have been changes in the department issuing licenses and permits,"
Governor Abdulswammad argues that demolition of the structures will be his last resort.
On Saturday morning, activities in parts of Mombasa County came to a standstill following heavy downpours on Friday night, well into the following morning.
The Kibarani area in Mombasa was entirely impassable, as roads are flooded, prompting heavy traffic on the Mombasa- Changamwe highway.
Experts attributed the floods to poor planning and dysfunctional drainage systems.