Kenya Power to demolish more structures in operation ‘Ondokea Laini’ – VIDEO
Demolitions of illegal structures on power line reserves by Kenya Power enters its second week on Monday as buildings erected on the state electricity firm’s main power line up next.
Kenya Power Security Services Manager Geoffrey Kigen said that the operation, dubbed ‘Ondokea Laini’, resumed last week after a long hiatus. He said that about 700 illegal structures were flattened with around 2, 000 more targeted for demolition.
He stated that this week they will head to Mihang’o, Mowlem and Dandora power substation to clear the illegal structures to remove individuals encroaching on power lines to create corridor for safety and maintenance of the lines.
“We gave them notices in December last year, done sensitization, marked the buildings on the way leaves and told the owners to remove them. Apparently some had not done so and those are the ones we are removing. This week we will concentrate on the main Kenya Power line,” said Mr Kigen.
BROUGHT DOWN
The Security Services Manager said that last week the operation was done in some parts of Buruburu Farmers land where about 700 illegal structures were brought down.
He explained that guidelines by Kenya Power state that structures should be built on a width of 20 metres on either side of a 220kV power line while on a line of 132kV should be built on a width of 15 metres on either side from the power line.
“It is a multi-agency operation, involving over 20 government parastatals that have wayleaves, which has been ongoing on unsafe buildings in Nairobi. We have removed thousands of such illegal structures and we have around 2, 000 structures pending,” he said.
The houses are among thousands of constructions Kenya Power says are illegally built on a 100km stretch reserve known as a wayleave that stretches 5,300km countrywide.
AREAS MAPPED
At least 10,000 such structures extending 6km have been removed in Imara Daima, Mukuru kwa Njenga, Mukuru kwa Reuben and Sinai village.
Other areas mapped include Umoja Phase 1, Inner Core, Tena, Embakasi Baraka Estate to Tassia Estate, Mathare Valley slums.
In March, the power company launched the exercise which involves the demolition of illegal structures that have encroached on its wayleaves in Nairobi seeking to reclaim the encroached land.
The first phase of the process was carried out in Embakasi through Mukuru slums to Enterprise Road over a stretch of approximately 8 km.
So far, 15,250 unsafe structures, particularly in informal settlements, have been cleared in the capital city.