Sonko: Return grabbed Langata Primary School land and 14 others

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko addressing traders at the recent razed Uhuru in Maringo Hamza Ward, Makadara Constituency on July 26, 2018.

Those who have grabbed the land of 15 public facilities in Nairobi should surrendered it, Governor Mike Sonko has said.

Mr Sonko took to social media to order those who operate their businesses and live on grabbed land to leave as soon as possible. He also promised to surrender his house, which he said was built on a road reserve.

“Better be a one-term governor and leave a legacy than entertain grabbing of public land and utilities,” Sonko wrote on Facebook.

He told those living or doing business on grabbed land to remove their valuables. The governor further said all grabbed land in the city's estates that was meant for playgrounds should be returned to the Government.

He also told those who have built houses on land meant for public social halls, over sewer lines and the Nairobi water pipeline to vacate.

The institutions whose land the governor said had been grabbed include Lang'ata Road Primary School, Ruaraka fire station, Highridge Hospital in Parklands, New Muthaiga Thigiri Ridge County Dispensary and Nursery School, St Catherine Primary, Buru Buru Girls, Martin Luther Primary School, and Kamkunji and Lang'ata secondary schools.

Land meant for a market in South C and a police station at Nyayo estate were among those Sonko said were targeted for repossession.

The governor said his own plot in Buru Buru and another one belonging to a former MP are on public roads and that he would relinquish his.

According to the governor’s post, other property to be handed over include the Pumwani Hospital expansion areas and Eastleigh and Mwariro county markets.

Sonko warned that those who approved the plans for construction of houses on public utilities would be prosecuted together with the suspected land grabbers.

The National Environment Management Authority has in the past few days demolished buildings constructed on riparian land, including Java House in Kileleshwa and Southend Mall at the junction of Mbagathi Way and Lang'ata Road.