Nairobi rejects 2,000 titles of properties on riparian land

The Nairobi government has rejected more than 2,000 title deeds of properties built on riparian land.

This comes after the county started demolishing houses standing on river banks following the collapse of a building in Huruma where more than 50 people died.

Governor Evans Kidero said that the plots had been identified and the owners had been given notices.

Mr Kidero said the county had written to the Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development to revoke the title deeds to pave the way for demolishing buildings on such plots.

“In Nairobi, we have 2,000 plots that lie on riparian lands and we have already written to the Ministry of Land revoking those title deeds and we want them to fast-track the process so as we can continue with our work,” said Mr Kidero.

Nairobi will be working with National Environment Management Authority (Nema), Ministry of Public Works, the National Youth Service and the Police to carry out the demolition of unsafe buildings.

“The mandate is on Nema and we will work with them to identify buildings on riparian land,” he said.

Mr Kidero said that the county had passed a Bill that will see the houses built without approval inspected and approved while those that can be strengthened reinforced.

But houses on river banks and riparian land will be brought down even if they are structurally sound.

Three lawyers

Demolitions that were suspended for seven days to give Huruma tenants time to migrate to alternative places will continue.

A 2015 audit that covered more than 2,000 buildings found 200 to be unsafe, he said.

Finally, he said, the Sh1 billion complex overlooking T-Mall shopping centre on Mbagathi road  will be demolished despite a court order issued. The county has challenged the order in court, he said.

“I have three lawyers in court trying to challenge a court order barring the county from bringing down the building on Lang’ata road.”