Sarit Centre to cede part of car park for new road
The Sarit Centre shopping complex will lose part of its parking yard to pave the way for construction of Ring Road.
The road is part of the Nairobi Eastern Missing Link roads and the ceded section (0.03 acres) will be taken up by the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura), which is charged with the Sh4.6 billion roads project.
Nearly 70 land owners are affected by the compulsory land acquisitions expected to also pave the way for construction of Quarry Road, Muratina Street and Accra link roads.
“Plans for the affected land may be inspected during office hours at the office of the National Land Commission, Ardhi House,” said Muhammad Swazuri, the commission’s chairman, in a notice.
OTHERS AFFECTED
The link roads project are part of plans to ease movement of people and goods in and out of the city.
Other land holders affected by the planned acquisitions include Mathare Hospital, City Hall and the Kenya Railways as well as several individual owners.
The Nairobi Eastern missing links roads comprise the construction of 17.1 kilometres of road across Ngara (connecting Accra to Ngara Road) and Muratina Road (connecting General Waruinge to Thika Road).
It will also comprise a stretch on Ring Road Parklands (connecting Waiyaki way to Limuru Road and then connecting Limuru Road to the Thika and Quarry roads.
The project which was launched by President Kenyatta last month will also see 12.4 kilometres of road for non-motorised transport built by Reynolds Construction Company Ltd, a Nigerian contractor.
The project is being financed by the Kenyan government and the EU and is due for completion in December 2016.
HIVED OFF
A Sarit Centre employee, who asked not to be quoted, said the establishment has been in talks with the government over the acquisition.
He said that the land to be hived off is on one corner of their 12-acre compound and construction will therefore have little interference with the daily operations of the mall.
“We are supportive of the idea since the roads being expanded will relieve the area of the traffic that chokes the roads on a daily basis,” the Sarit Centre staff said.
“We shall attend the meetings for compensation once we study the gazette notice.”
Sarit Centre has been a major landmark in the wealthy Westlands suburb since its establishment 30 years ago and has grown to be one of the busiest malls in the country.
It hosts an average of 25,000 visitors per day.