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Muthurwa residents up in arms against sale of estate


Residents of Muthurwa estate are protesting the sale of part of its land.

The land has been in the centre of a dispute between the over 400 tenants and the Kenya Railway Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme (KRSRBS), which owns the premises.

Originally, the land now a prime part of the CBD belonged to the East African Railways and Harbours Corporation and later to its successor, the Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC).

The 72 acres currently hosts KRC staff houses, a market, a power sub-station and is managed by the trustees of the corporation’s pensioners scheme.

The residents have petitioned the National Land Commission (NLC) to shed light on the real owner of the land.

Through their residential association chairman Patrick Kamotho, the group said a lease contract had been violated.

“Special conditions under the lease including Articles 1, 2, 3 and 4 have been violated, hence our request that the NLC intervenes in the case,” said Mr Kamotho.

In their petition, the 900 signatories are requesting investigations into the 2006 sale of 19 acres for the construction of Muthurwa market.

Health risk

They also want insight into the sale of another two acres to the Kenya Power and Lightning Company a year later.

“The 16 Kv power substation that currently sits on the two acres poses health risks including harmful radiation to the estate dwellers,” said Mr Kamotho.

The residents have also reclaimed ownership of the Muthurwa Dallas Social Hall, which they said had since been turned into a revenue earner for the County Government.

Copies of the petition were on Tuesday handed to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Katiba Institute, City Hall and the East African Community Secretariat.