Illegal buildings in Eldoret town set to be demolished
Eldoret Municipal Board Chairman Julius Kitur during a past event in Eldoret town. The board has announced that buildings on drainage lines and public land will be demolished.
What you need to know:
- Eldoret Municipal Board said demolition is a drastic measure being taken to avert disaster from structures constructed in water catchment areas and unsafe places.
- Eldoret Municipal Board manager Tito Koiyet said the board had already mapped out illegal structures and unapproved developments for demolition.
Property worth millions of shillings constructed on drainage lines and public land in Eldoret and its environs will be demolished in the ongoing facelift as it seeks city status.
Already, five commercial buildings in the Central Business District (CBD) have been earmarked for the first phase of demolitions, sending property developers in the town into a panic.
Other than giving the town a facelift, Eldoret Municipal Board chairman Julius Kitur said the demolition is also a drastic measure being taken to avert disaster from structures constructed in water catchment areas and unsafe places.
Eldoret Municipal Board manager Tito Koiyet said the board had already mapped out illegal structures and unapproved developments for demolition.
“The municipality board is determined to root out the menace of mushrooming illegal structures built in public places without approvals. Any investor who knows they irregularly acquired county property should surrender it before forcible repossession,” warned Mr Koiyet.
On Saturday, the board conducted an inspection tour of some of the buildings targeted for demolition in the town.
The team was shocked to learn that a two-storey building owned by Fims Company sits directly on a drainage line.
Mr Kitur asked the company management to stop with immediate effect the ongoing construction works on the piece of land, which he said belongs to the county government.
“This structure stands on a drainage line and we as a county will not allow the construction works to continue because this is public utility space,” said Mr Kitur.
However, Fims Company manager Francis Osoro dismissed the claims. He accused the board officials of ordering them to halt ongoing construction works without giving them a chance to be heard.
“It is wrong for the municipal board officials to storm the construction site without even informing us about their mission. We have been ambushed and directed to stop any construction works and threatened with the wrath of the Eldoret Municipal Board,” said Mr Osoro.
He explained that before they embarked on construction of the building, they followed due process, including seeking approval from the National Environmental Management Authority and other authorities.
“We did not just wake up one morning to start constructing this building. We sought the approval of various county and national government authorities before we commenced works on the site,” said Mr Osoro.
He termed the intended board action as regrettable, saying the move was likely to scare away potential investors in property and development in the town.
