A widely circulated photo depicting Nairobi inspectorate officers, better known as Kanjo, allegedly raiding a penthouse in Zimmerman, Nairobi, is false and alarming.
This is according to the landlord, Anne Lumbasi, who recently gained nationwide fame for perching the penthouse atop a four-storey apartment.
The photo showed vehicles parked outside the building, Bradijon Mansion, leading to wide speculations alleging that Kanjo attempted to extort money from her.
Others questioned why the askaris would visit her, despite the penthouse being in operation for over three months.
The role of the inspectorate officers in the county is to ensure compliance with and the enforcement of the laws and regulations.
"Because of social media, Kanju have visited the Zimmerman flat to extort money," read an online comment from politician Francis Gaitho.
In an interview with Kenyans.co.ke, Lumbasi, however, denied the reports, attributing the rumours to people trying to propagate false news.
"It started as a rumour on social media, but it's not true," she stated.
She also expressed gratitude for the positive feedback she received online, with most Kenyans praising her ingenuity over the penthouse's design.
The house has been trending online for the past week regarding the security and design of the structure. This is after questions surrounding the legality and safety features of tenants living in the penthouse.
Following the online debate, Lumbasi said that the reaction is because few projects resemble such a building.
She added that the inspiration was influenced by her architect, Stephen Maina, who assured her the project was feasible.
"He asked what type of a mansion I wanted and I gave a breakdown. He told me the cost, how long it would take and we agreed on the terms," she recently told Kenyans.co.ke.
The project, which consists of a four-storey house, began in 2018 and ended in June 2023.
