Video: Demolitions at Ukay Centre in Nairobi begin

Ukay Centre in Westlands, Nairobi is being demolished a day after the High Court declined to issue orders to stop the building from being brought down.

The area is under tight security as management, tenants and employees are restricted from accessing the building estimated to be worth Ksh.900million.

Also Read: Ukay Center owners in court to stop demolitions

“There is no river whatsoever under the building, what there is is a stream which is at the back of the building,” Pejul Shah, one of the owners said on Friday as he watched his building being demolished.

Some of the tenants had started to vacate the premises on Thursday in fear of the demolitions.

Nakumatt is one of the main tenants of the Ukay Centre that was built in 1994.

This comes a day after the management of Ukay Centre appeared before a Parliamentary committee with documents they said allowed them to construct on riparian land.

The documents were reportedly given to them by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).

Also Read: Confusion as NEMA now disowns demolition of Nairobi buildings

In an unexpected twist of events, NEMA denied that they were behind the demolitions of various buildings in Nairobi constructed on riparian land.

According to them, the demolitions are under the Nairobi Regeneration project.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has since ordered that all officials who colluded to approve construction of buildings on riparian land be investigated and prosecuted.

On Thursday, the management of Ukay Centre sought the intervention of the High Court to stop the demolition citing approvals given to them in 1994.

Justice Wilfrida Okwany however directed that the conservatory orders be served to the respondents ahead of an inter party hearing on August 14.