‘Grabbers’ Back At Highridge Health Centre Land, Months After Governor Sonko Announced Repossession

Land grabbers are back at a piece of land in Westlands’ Highridge Estate, which was earmarked for construction of Highridge Health Centre.

In August 2018, Nairobi governor Mike Sonko announced repossession of the same land from cartels.

“As promised, we will not spare anyone in this campaign aimed at restoring to the public what belongs to them,” Sonko said.

It was reported that the land was sold to an ‘innocent’ buyer by the grabbers, but the governor did not disclose what measures had been taken to ward off the cartels from coming back.

Read: Former Education CEC Janet Ouko Sues Governor Sonko For Defamation

The grabbers are now back, with construction machinery on site laying a foundation on the land.

The wrangle for the parcel of land started as early as February 2011 when the then Lands Minister James Orengo cancelled the title deed issued to a private developer for the piece of land. The land is on the spot where the demolished Highridge Health Centre stood in Parklands.

“The title here said that the land and buildings shall only be used for the purpose of a clinic and no person shall reside on the land. It also said that the guarantee of this land shall not subdivide it and most importantly, he shall not sell, sub-let or part with the possession of the land or any part thereof,” said Orengo.

The then Minister of Local Government Musalia Mudavadi instructed the City Council of Nairobi not to approve building plans by anyone who wanted to build on the controversial piece of land.

Mr Mudavadi further called on the council to set aside some funds to assist in the rebuilding of the clinic.

“There is no one who has been given permission to build here and no plans should be approved by City Hall. As an emergency measure I am asking the Mayor together with the Finance Planning Committee to set aside some funds to assist in the rebuilding of the centre so that it can resume its services,” he said.

The reason why reconstruction of the hospital have never started is still unclear, and whether the private developer has the approvals for construction is still opaque.

Grabbers are also said to have invaded North Ridge Primary School in Parklands and grabbed part of the school’s land.

Here are the photos:

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