A civil society organisation in Mombasa wants all properties built on road reserves, beach access roads and fish landing sites demolished.
Haki Africa executive officer Hussein Khalid said in Mombasa accused private developers of grabbing the the public lands and erecting permanent structures and buildings on them.
“Mombasa residents have complained of flooding when little rain pours and this is mostly contributed to by the permanent structures that have been put along water paths leading to homes getting swamped and estates getting submerged in rain water.”
“Influential persons and politically connected individuals have grabbed…erected five-star hotels denying the public access to beaches. These structures need to be demolished immediately, “said Mr Khalid.
GRAFT VICE
Mr Khalid lauded President Uhuru Kenyatta’s push to fight corruption and reclaim public land.
“We fully support the demolition and recovery of public land presently going on in Nairobi. We appeal to President Kenyatta, Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji and anti-graft commission to extend efforts to other counties including Mombasa,” he said.
He also urged Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and Tourism CS Najib Balala to jointly help in reclaiming the public land and beaches and restore tourism glow that Mombasa was.