Nyeri residents have raised alarm and concern over how a Kenyan billionaire acquired the license to construct a Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) depot in Wambugu, Nyeri County.
Speaking with Kenyans.co.ke on Friday, May 15, several area residents lamented that constructing the LPG plant in a residential area was a disaster in waiting as it was hazardous.
The residents lamented that one of Billionaire Linus Gitonga's LPG plant in Giakanja, Tetu Constituency, exploded in 2012, with reports indicating that three individuals died and several others were hospitalised. They feared to witness the same scenario in a residential and densely populated area.
Wambugu Farm
According to residents, the population on the farm is in the thousands with workers employed in various sectors, ranging from subordinate staff to farmworkers.
Next to the location of the LPG depot, lies a car park that has the ability to host several vehicles. A college, a church, and a children's home are also within the vicinity.
Gitonga, according to his LinkedIn page, is reportedly a Senior Manager at Energy Regulatory Commission Kenya, a government agency that regulates petroleum, electricity, and renewable energy sectors in Kenya.
This raises questions on how he managed to have his license approved to construct a plant that reportedly endangers people's lives.
Grievances
Area residents stated that they aired their grievances to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) an agency tasked with the management of the environment and environmental policy, but they never got a response.
"We wrote to NEMA but it never responded. We were later informed by the County Government (under Governor Mutahi Kahiga) that public participation was undertaken before the plant was approved. This we were told by Planning CEC Dr Kwai Wanjaria. We never participated in the said forum.
"They imported people from other areas and paid them Ksh 500 to be part of it, so as to legitimise a fraudulent process. How can you build a gas plant ina residential area? If an incident, such as the Giakanja one happened, what kind of a disaster would we talk about?
"We have no personal vendetta against him. He is wealthy, no doubt about that. Why then wouldn't he purchase land at an EPZ and build the plant there? Why would he overlook public interest?" one resident lamented.
Through Facebook, a number of other residents also cried out, alleging that the county government was bribed.
"The government that we elected has turned against us. Who will fight for us," one netizen wondered.
Response
Carol Nderi, the Communications Director Nyeri County, refuted claims that the project was illegally approved.
The former KTN journalist directed questions to Planning CEC Kwai Wanjaria's office for further clarification.
"All I can say is that NEMA approved the project," Nderi stated.
Dr Kwai further elaborated, arguing that he has files that prove the legitimacy of the project, adding that the LPG power plant was approved before the aggrieved residents bought lands for construction.
"When the gentleman (Gitonga) applied to construct the plant, there was no residential house 500 metres around the area and there is none up to date. Last month, one individual started to construct near the depot and wanted us to nullify the construction which was approved by NEMA. You have to understand that the depot is being constructed near the road, this means that the land is a commercial area, one of the reasons for approval.
"When the land was bought, we asked the gentleman to circulate notices in countrywide newspapers and to also put one at the construction site, which he did. That means that anyone has been given the opportunity to raise their concerns and if none is raised, it would be considered that everyone saw it. We never received any grievances. We wrote to NEMA and Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), ERC and Survey of Kenya and all gave a green light to proceed.
"A month later as I stated earlier, the individual who bought a nearby plot to construct a residential house raised his issues and we called him together with the LPG owner and they both stated their issues and we solved the matter. Because by law the person who bought first counts and we have files to show that the aggrieved resident bought the land one month later or processed his title deed at the said period. At that point, he proceeded to raise their issues on social media and we cannot argue with him online. There is a legal process to be followed if they are not satisfied with our efforts to arbitrate," Dr Kwa defended.
