KBC suspends rebuilding of wall around controversial land

The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) on Tuesday suspended the rebuilding of a wall around a 22-acre piece of land it has been tussling over with the Mombasa government after the county’s leadership threatened the contractor with arrest.

The contractor, Mr Michael Keah, had moved in on Tuesday morning with his workers, under heavy security and started rebuilding the perimeter wall which was brought down by hired youths under the supervision of Governor Hassan Joho and Mombasa land executive Anthony Njaramba.

The county government says that the KBC has not followed the law in building the perimeter wall on the land in Bombolulu known as VoK.

Mr Keah and his workers were guarded by about 30 armed police led by Kisauni OCPD Mr Richard Ngatia when they started constructing the wall. County askaris also stood by as work continued.

However, Mr Njaramba arrived at the site and directed the contractor to stop the work or face arrest. Mr Keah complied and left the scene with his workers.

KBC managing director Waithaka Waihenya has said the corporation would cite the governor for contempt of court. Following the new development on Tuesday, Mr Waihenya said he would travel to Mombasa to sort out the controversy.

'MEET THERE'

“I expect to be at the site today and I have suggested to the contractor that we meet there,” Mr Waihenya told the Nation last evening.

In the morning, Mr Ngatia and the county deputy Director of Inspectorate Mr Charles Changawa chatted away as work went on.

However, when Mr Njaramba arrived, he ordered the contractor to stop the construction and seek approval from his department.

“You have two options here, you should stop the construction and come to my office to seek approval of the construction or I arrest you for flouting the county’s law on construction. You know very well that if a contractor wants to put up any structure he must have the county’s approval on the same,” Mr Njaramba told the constructor.

Speaking to journalists, Mr Njaramba said the contractor had not notified the county of his intention to put the boundary wall as required by law under section 4 of the Physical Planning Act.

Mr Keah said: “The executive has ordered me to stop and I have asked my workers to park their tools. We had earlier tried to seek their approval but they refused. Now they are saying I am supposed to go to their offices. I am not sure if they will approve but I will just go and try”.

He did not want to respond to further questions.

Mr Njaramba said the land also had pending land rates of Sh804 million which anyone claiming ownership should clear. “We are requesting that the people claiming the land to come clear that amount first.”