Rowdy Traders Halt Demolition of Illegal Structures
By Festus Ronoh || Kass Digital
Bomet County’s bid to clear illegal structures in Bomet town was on Wednesday morning disrupted after angry traders resisted the demolition exercise.
The County Government, through its Department of Housing and Urban Planning, had begun pulling down buildings at the Bomet bus stage, citing non-compliance with planning regulations and encroachment on public land.
However, the operation was cut short when a group of business owners confronted county officials and security personnel, forcing the exercise to stop.
Among those affected was Leonard Ngeno, popularly known as Aption A, who said he was shocked to see his premises marked for demolition despite having followed all county requirements.
“I acquired this plot legally and I have all the documents. I don’t understand why my business building is being demolished by the county government,” Ngeno said.
He accused the authorities of failing to serve him with an official notice before carrying out the demolitions.
“I was initially given a stop order because of non-compliance, but I later complied as per the guidance of the Urban Planning Department. They even gave me a go-ahead. So why are they now destroying the same building?” he posed.
On Tuesday, September 9, CECM for Housing and Urban Planning Joseph Kirui, together with department officials, conducted an inspection tour of Bomet stage. During the tour, the team cited numerous illegal structures within town, including those built on road reserves and grabbed public land.
Kirui maintained that the county is committed to restoring order in urban centers.
“Many of these structures were erected without approval and are blocking public utilities and road reserves. As a county, we are determined to implement the law and ensure proper urban planning for the benefit of all residents,” he stated.
The demolitions sparked tension and disturbed businesses in Bomet town as traders accused the county of double standards, while others demanded tye County government to focus on other development projects than disrupting businesses.
