Companies

Ngilu backs Kitisuru residents against Sh430m mall plans

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Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu. PHOTO | FILE

Land secretary Charity Ngilu has scuttled plans by the owners of Kisumu’s Mega City and Mega Plaza malls to build a Sh430 million shopping complex in Kitisuru.

Shiloah Investments plans to build a seven-floor mall on a 3.6-acre piece of land targeting wealthy and middle-income local residents.

However, protests by area residents saw Ms Ngilu direct governor Evans Kidero to revoke any licence City Hall had granted the developer, arguing that the Kisumu firm had breached several environmental and planning regulations.

She further directed the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) to withdraw any approvals it had granted the developer in a letter also copied to her Environment counterpart Judi Wakhungu.

“We advise that the proposed development be stopped if it has already been approved by your government,” Ms Ngilu wrote in the letter seen by the Business Daily dated September 11.

“Nema and WRMA (Water Resource Management Authority) be advised to withdraw their licences and any approvals they may have granted the developer following the environmental impact assessment (EAI) process.”

READ: Kisumu investor’s plans for 7-storey Kitisuru mall blocked

Nema, which acknowledged receipt of Ms Ngilu’s letter, said it would still go ahead with the EIA process.

The regulator is expected Thursday hold a public forum in Kitisuru to discuss the contentious project. This latest meeting plan prompted the area residents to write another protest note to Ms Ngilu seeking her intervention on Tuesday.

Anthony Ngare, the acting chief corporate communications manager at Nema, confirmed that the EIA process would go ahead, but he declined to comment on Ms Ngilu’s letter.

“We’re aware of the numerous complaints about the project from the residents and that is why we are giving them a forum to share these issues with us,” he said in a telephone interview.