Nairobi News

Nairobi County Government and the Land Commission will give back a piece of land, currently being used as a parking lot by Diamond Plaza Shopping Mall to Highridge Schools in Parklands.

Governor Evans Kidero said the county government had written to the Lands Commission to aid return of all land belonging to schools, hospitals and the Fire department.

“The only hitch with Highridge is that the matter is still in court, but we have embarked on the first step to get the land back,” he said.

The Parliamentary Committee on Education visited the school last month. It then summoned the governor, asking him to act fast on the issue. The committee said the students were being exposed to morally degrading behaviour.

Students have had to share their playground with shoppers who were permitted by law to use the grounds on weekends since September last year.

Efforts by the schools to fight off shoppers were met by a court order issued by Justice Francis Andayi.

Not only was the school ordered to leave the gate open on weekends, but the use of the ground by shoppers was also extended indefinitely.

Diamond Plaza is to pay about Sh50,000 every year to City Hall for using the ground.

Shoppers have since made their presence felt, as they turn the field into a sea of beer cans and used condoms, and the mess is left to the school to clear.

Students are also forced to put up with distractions during their study time on weekends as some shoppers sit in their cars, playing loud music, smoking and drinking.

There have been reports of some of them having sex.