Karen residents, developer in fight over apartment block
A posh house in Nairobi. Residents of Karen, along Mwitu Road in Nairobi, have accused a developer of putting up a building in their area in total disregard of warnings from Nema.
Residents of Karen, along Mwitu Road in Nairobi, are up in arms after a developer put up a building in their area in total disregard of warnings from the National Environment Management Authority (Nema).
The developer, architect Francis Gichuhi, built a three-storeyed block inside his compound much to the chagrin of his neighbours, who say he flouted building rules for the affluent neighbourhood.
Mr Gichuhi has received numerous letters from City Hall, Nema and National Construction Authority, but he has gone ahead to put up the building.
The residents in their protest letter to the government institutions indicated that the original five owners, who subdivided a piece of land to get an acre each had an understanding that all plots were to be used for construction of single family dwelling.
“We, however, note with concern that he has decided to illegally add a residential block of three units contrary to zoning regulations and physical planning and Land Use Planning Act,” wrote the residents in a letter to National Construction Authority dated on January 8.
In the neighbourhood are current and former government officials including ODM leader Raila Odinga, Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju and former Attorney-General Githu Muigai.
Mr Gichuhi said that allegations that he was illegally building an apartment are totally false and not substantiated.
“Regulatory authorities write from time to time to contractors and in my case, I provided every document they wanted. If I was breaking the law, they would have taken action by now. The building is already complete,” he said.
