Tension and confusion has cropped up among Taza Lane residents in Parklands,Nairobi as another developer has began plans to put up a multi-million shilling housing project, a move termed illegal .
The construction work is said to be on Mwambao road off Limuru road both within a short distance from the adjacent disputed Taza Lane apartments.
In both sites, no clear mode of approval was granted, in Taza Lane. Ameey Homes is illegally constructing a multimillion property despite protests on violation of the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) regulations among other illegalities.
During a site visit by this team Friday, it emerged the rogue developer had illegally demolished houses from the nearby building including the property belonging to the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi.
City lawyer Alfred Ndambiri, also a neighbour and who spoke to the press on behalf of residents and alongside lawyer Daniel Ngoli said that immediate action was needed to stop the construction works.
Ndambiri revealed that the area is not served by a sewer line and the developers had no plan proposed and warned that the project was a tickling bomb.
According to our investigations, constructions in different parts of Parklands lack crucial documentation and are not legally approved.
The Mwambao illegal construction works started on Monday, 9th January.
“I m an immediate neighbor and I was attracted by excavation noises on the evening of January 9. After visiting the site, I found the grounds already dug out and the neighbouring walls are already falling,” he said.
During our visit, we were able to find a public notice that had been fixed inside the plot inviting objections to change of user but the irony was the poster could not be spotted by the members of the public as it is required by law.
The neighbours who include Regina Pacis monastry of the Catholic Church who own a guest house in an adjacent piece of land whose walls are said to be already damaged.
The residents are calling on Governor Johnson Sakaja to institute investigations on ongoing constructions within Parklands area as they are hazardous not only to the environment but also to the targeted tenants as the area is not serviced by the Nairobi City Water and Sanitation sewer line, a reason why residents have objected to the other developments on Taza Lane and adjacent areas.
So far residents and some plot owners have instructed a law firm, A.N. Ndambiri & Co. Advocates to act on illegal developments in the area.
Among actions that may be taken includes, filing petitions in the Environment and Land Court against Authorities and public officers who are failing in their statutory duties.
The Petition that will be filed in court includes include suing ‘professionals’ companies and individuals who aid and abett commission of illegalities in the real estate business by among others, supplying building materials to unapproved development projects and he is tasked with the idea of reminding the public that Ignorance of the Law is no Defence
Lawyer Daniel Ngoli , who also spoke to the press and warned against entertaining illegally developers works with the Legal Trust Fund, a civil society group. He called on the National government to quickly swing into action and investigate the entire project and stop the entire work .o
Ngoli and the Legal trust organization Fund have been collecting evidence on illegal developments to be used in the up-coming mega civil suit against the ‘developers’, state agencies and public officers to be sued in their personal capacities.
