Westlands Member of Parliament Tim Wanyonyi has castigated Governor Johnson Sakaja’s government over irregular building approvals and increased cases of land grabbing. MP Tim Wanyonyi Stopped private investor from building 29-storey in Westlands. The MP has expressed his concerns over the grabbing of the public spaces, fully supported by the county government. Why Tim Wanyonyi blocked private developer Wanyonyi was speaking after successfully leading Westlands residents in thwarting attempts by a foreign investor to grab land belonging to Westlands Primary School. The private developer stormed the site on Monday, February 10, and started excavation along the wall of the school in an attempt to invade the school compound.
It took the efforts of the school headteacher, who informed the area Member of Parliament, who then rushed to the school to rescue the situation. The private developer had applied to put up a 29-storey building next to the school, a move the MP says is reckless from the county government planning department. “The county government must save Nairobi from these hazardous developments, they are licensing foreigners and they are building on every open space in Nairobi,” Wanyonyi said. The Westlands NG-CDF, in conjunction with the national government, is building junior secondary school classes at the school and part of the earmarked space had been invaded by the developer. How Tim Wanyonyi helped save public land Wanyonyi called on Nairobi residents to be more vigilant and report cases of land grabbing by private developers.
Last year, the MP helped to reclaim land belonging to Bora Primary School from a private developer who had acquired building approvals from the county. “Land is not the first thing. They are trying to grab public lands in learning institutions, especially in this area,” the lawmaker said. Meanwhile, Nairobi County Assembly Planning Committee chairman Alvin Palapala has taken issue with the planning department for allowing such development next to a public school. “We shall call and put on check those responsible meanwhile that site should be closed with immediate effect because there are gross violations of the law,” Palapala said.
by Amos Khaemba
