Disputed market land in South B belongs to the public, Assembly declares
Nairobi
By
Pkemoi Ng'enoh
| Oct 12, 2023
Residents of South B estate in Nairobi have reason to smile after a piece of land, which had garnered interest from a private developer, was declared a public facility.
The County Assembly Planning Committee approved the cancellation of the land's title deed.
Recently, residents took to the streets when a private developer fenced off the plot in the Makuti area, which had been designated for the construction of a modern market.
The documents presented to the committee of the Urban Planning and Built Environment CEC were found to be fake.
"We have reached an agreement with the executive that the title deed of the private developer should be immediately revoked, and the land should be returned to the residents of South B," the Committee's chairman, Alvin Oland, stated.
It was also discovered that the documents indicated they were signed by a sitting mayor in 2014, even though there was no mayor in office at that time.
"We are pleased because it has been confirmed that the documents are not genuine. The committee has decided that the land should be returned to Nairobi South residents," Nairobi South MCA and Deputy Minority Leader Waithera Chege announced.
She mentioned that the land had been set aside for the establishment of a modern market in accordance with the Nairobi Governor's manifesto.
The MCA has been at the forefront of efforts to protect the land and reported to the police that she had been threatened over her actions.
"The Governor promised to build new markets, and this land is where the residents of Nairobi South need a modern market to be constructed. We are also requesting the President's assistance in installing the necessary equipment once the market is built," she added.
Furthermore, the legislator has called on the developer who was eyeing the land to respect the will of the residents.
"We, as Nairobi MCAs, unanimously state that it doesn't matter whether you are a state officer or a resident; all public land should remain for the public and not be in private hands," the Deputy Minority Leader added.
In August, residents demolished the fence that had been erected around the land, thwarting the developer's initial attempt to proceed with their development.