Probe into ownership of the South B Shopping Centre land underway
The protracted dispute over the ownership of LR NO. 209/12612, situated at the heart of South B Shopping Centre, Makuti area, is poised to find resolution through the scrutiny of the Nairobi County Assembly Committee.
In a significant development, Nairobi South Assembly Member Waithera Chege, effectively presented her petition to County Speaker Kennedy Ng’ondi, paving the way for an official investigation into the matter.
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Tensions escalated earlier this month when residents of South B confronted a private developer who had encroached upon the area, encircling it with metal sheets and preparing for construction.
The residents, largely comprising shopkeepers and traders relying on the shops situated on the disputed land, vehemently protested against the encroachment, asserting that the land had been illicitly claimed.
Ms Waithera unveiled unsettling claims, suggesting that influential figures in the district, with vested interests in the contested land, were orchestrating a partnership with the private developer—a sitting Member of Parliament.
The alleged goal is to thwart the residents’ aspirations for a market, as it is speculated that the developer aimed to erect a shopping mall on the disputed terrain.
The Assembly Member stressed that the land had been designated for the creation of a contemporary marketplace, an initiative that could greatly benefit the local populace currently devoid of such a facility.
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Food vendors and traders have spilled onto the streets without a proper market, seeking to vend their wares.
The petition, endorsed by the concerned residents, implores the Planning and Housing Committee, chaired by Kitisuru MCA Alvin Olando Palapala, to direct the county government, in collaboration with pertinent entities, to dismantle the unauthorized structure under construction on the contested land.
The petition also seeks the intervention of the National Land Commission (NLC) and relevant organizations to furnish the County Government with the necessary deed plans to facilitate the resolution of the dispute.
Furthermore, the petitioners advocate for the County Government, under the stewardship of Governor Johnson Sakaja, to secure the disputed land and maintain its guardianship on behalf of the traders and the larger Nairobi community.
However, the current progress of the investigation has been hindered due to several Committee members participating in the eighth edition of the Devolution Conference held in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
Additionally, the Assembly Members are on a recess and are scheduled to reconvene on September 12.
This marks a crucial chapter in the ongoing land saga, with the Nairobi County Assembly poised to unravel the complex intricacies surrounding the ownership of LR NO. 209/12612.
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