NYANZA: Makasembo estate residents ordered to surrender asbestos roofing sheets

 

The Kisumu County Government has warned residents of Makasembo estate against the illegal demolition of houses with asbestos roofing sheets.

In a notice issued on February 27, acting Kisumu City Manager Abala Wanga said asbestos is categorised as a hazardous material that releases fine fibers which can cause cancer, especially of the lung.

Wanga directed residents of Makasembo and other individuals who have illegally acquired asbestos roofing sheets from the estate to surrender them.

"This notice is hereby given to residents to immediately and not later than 48 hours from the date hereof surrender the asbestos to the City," he said.

Wanga said the city will ensure proper disposal as prescribed by the Environmental Management Coordination (Waste Management) Act.

The City manager urged the residents to fully comply with the directive to avoid legal action.

"Take further notice that the City has records of each household in Makasembo and in the event of noncompliance within the stipulated time frame, the City shall itself apprehend and take legal actions against the insubordinate individuals," he said.

Makasembo is among the estates earmarked for the construction of modern affordable housing units by Lapfund in partnership with the Kisumu county government.

The 100-year-old estate is set to be upgraded into 1,800 one-, two- and three-bedroom units for Sh3.5 billion.

Construction on the 10-acre piece of land will begin in the first week of March after the county government and Lapfund signed a deal for the project.

On February 11, Lapfund CEO David Koros said the project will take 24 months to complete.

Affected residents were Tuesday given Sh96,000 each (Sh12 million in total) by Lapfund Retirement Benefits Scheme to relocate before construction begins.

Koros said they met with all the affected tenants in the 100-year-old estate and asked them to move by February 28, with groundbreaking to take place on March 1.

“We have not seen any court order. They should produce it if they have it. We did due diligence and public participation on the planned project,” he said.

The Makasembo tenants’ 28-day notice lapses on Sunday (today). Some 100 people received relocation cheques.

A one-bedroom unit will cost about Sh1.5 million with two and three-bedroom units going for Sh2.5 million and Sh3.5 million respectively for low-income earners.

Koros said the housing project is in line with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four Agenda.

He said priority will be given to the original tenants once the project is complete. “We want to advise affected tenants to start paying for the houses early enough,” Koros said.

Governor Anyang Nyong’o said they are committed to ensuring residents access habitable and affordable housing as enshrined in the Constitution.

He said the ongoing housing projects will give Kisumu city a new look.

“We are rebuilding Kisumu and mean well for our people. In the next two and half years our people will have modern houses,” he said.

After February 28, the more than 150 houses some of them condemned as unfit for occupation will be demolished.

 Wanga lauded the residents of Makasembo for embracing the project.

“We have given them money so that they can find alternative houses. We expect to build the houses within the next two and half years. They will then be able to buy them at affordable rates,” Wanga said.

Wanga asked those who have received their compensation  BY THE STAR