Kisumu orders county tenants to demolish illegal extensions
What you need to know:
- Tenants have 21 days to demolish extensions or any other structure “whatsoever” erected within their compounds.
- The county issued the order in a public notice by the department of physical planning, land, housing and urban development.
- In the previous administration under governor Jack Ranguma, the county had planned to bring down the structures said to be a security risk.
Thousands of tenants living in county houses in Kisumu have 21 days to demolish extensions or any other structure “whatsoever” erected within their compounds.
Individuals or groups who have invaded and constructed illegal structures in Kanyakwar, Mamboleo, Kibos, Nyalenda and South Kajulu lands have also been directed to demolish and vacate within 21 days of the notice.
The county issued the order in a public notice by the department of physical planning, land, housing and urban development.
The county executive Nixon Odhiambo said the move was one of the recommendations made by the task force on illegal, irregular and multiple allocations of public land, private leases and institutional houses in Kisumu County.
The body was constituted through a Kenya Gazette notice number 3445 dated April 13, 2018.
“Take notice that at the expiry of the deadlines issued herein, the county government of Kisumu shall take all available actions against non-compliant persons,” said Mr Odhiambo.
Security risk
In the previous administration under governor Jack Ranguma, the county had planned to bring down the structures said to be a security risk.
But tenants have often resisted the move even as some have constructed extensions which they charge rent.
Before devolution, tenants in the defunct local authorities’ houses used to enjoy lower rents, but this changed after the county government increased the old rates by more than 100 per cent.
A two-bedroom house that used to cost Sh2,000 in Lumumba Ondiek, Arina and Makasembo is now Sh4,000.
Arina, which has four phases and a total of 525 houses has two-bedroom houses moving from Sh3,000 to Sh6,000.
In Kibuye Estate, flats have been increased from Sh4,000 to Sh8,000. In the same estate, a semi-detached two bedroomed house will now be Sh5,000 from Sh1800 in 2013.
Rent for a three bedroomed house at Kodhek Estate has moved from Sh4,000 to Sh10, 000.
The county government only retained monthly rents for tenants at Anderson Estate at Sh2,000 and extensions at Sh3,000.
But in the finance bill, it was stated that the extensions would also be charged at Sh1,000.
