Move Rivers, Don't Demolish Buildings - Governor Waititu Demands

Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu on Sunday stated that rivers should be diverted instead of demolishing buildings on the riparian land.

In a video that went viral on Monday, Waititu suggested that the government should place the burden of diverting the river on the investor instead of demolishing the entire property.

Mambo ingine mimi naona pale, kama iyo watu wanasupport ubomoaji, mimi hapana support. Mambo iangaliwe, kama nyumba yako imekaribiana na mto, wewe uambiwe ni garama yako kuhakikisha hiyo mto imesonga kidogo (Something I am seeing with people supporting demolitions that I don't support. This should be looked into and if your house is next to the river you should be told to cater for the cost of diverting the river to ensure it moves a bit),” Waititu stated.

In a report by the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), dated June 26, the Government earmarked buildings, structures and even facilities sitting on riparian land which will be flattened.

[caption caption="Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu"][/caption]

Some of the buildings owned by powerful individuals including Southend Mall and Ukay Mall have already been demolished and the exercise is expected to last for about two months.

Shell petrol station and Java House in Kileleshwa and Oshwal Centres in Westlands have also been demolished.

Speaking during a Sunday service at Faith Evangelistic Ministry church in Karen, Nairobi, President Uhuru Kenyatta stated that the crackdown must continue in order to end impunity.

“Over the last few weeks, I have lost so many friends. I have received many calls being asked ‘how can you sit and just watch all this destruction going on," the President stated.

"You must stop it.’ But I said, ‘it is difficult to stop, not because we love to destroy but because we must fight impunity," he added.

The President declared that he was ready to lose more friends in his fight against corruption because "the right things have to be done".

“I have lost close friends over the war on corruption. We must be ready to lose friends and do what is right in the eyes of God,” the Head of State reiterated.

Here is the video courtesy:

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