Karen and Langata Residents Association –(KARENGATA) are up in arms against Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula whom they have accused of putting up a petrol station without the approval of relevant authorities.
The residents have accused Wetang’ula of flouting a directive barring construction of commercial buildings in Karen.
However, Wetangula termed the residents as jealous people who are opposed to development and want to entrench poverty in society.
“I have all the approvals. I bought the land in 1997. I successfully obtained a change of user from City Hall. The plot in contention is not inside the estate and it even neighbors a shopping Centre. They are people who are out to see that we don’t create jobs. Once in operation, the Petrol Station will employ more than 20 people,” he told Hot News.
The residents claim there was no public participation and that the petrol station possess serious security threats and that it will deny them a clean environment.
They said the project has not been approved by the Energy Regulatory Authority (ERC).
They said ERC has given stop orders which Wetangula has flouted.
“We have written to the authorities concerned from the City Council, to NEMA, National Construction Authority, National Environmental Complaints Committee and ERC. They have gone there and asked the developer to stop. We have written to him demanding those documents,” said Dancun Munyua from KLDA.
However, Munyua said the documents have not been made public.
He said that the zoning plans should be upheld.
Wetang’ula wondered how the Petrol Station will be a health hazard to the residents.
The plot is registered as LR number 12882/104 .
It is 1.311 hectares and is opposite Shade Hotel and Kenya Broadcasting Corporation land.
Site is fenced off by mabati and is also near Embulbul Shopping center on Ngong Road.
On 12th February 2019, the ERC issued a stop order to Wetangula to stop construction of the Petrol Station and ancillary buildings.