The government of Machakos County has halted the restructuring of a multi million property in the heart of the town that belongs to the Islamic Foundation.
The county's Deparment of planning, using the approval of an official named Mr Thomas Muthenya, who signed as Assistant Director of Physical Planning. The foundation paid Kes 4,000 after claiming it was renovating the building.
But upon inspection, it was discovered that the plan was to reconstruct the existing structure to create scores of shops and stalls that open up to all the streets and allays surrounding the building. Approximately 22 shops are expected to open to businesses.
Yesterday, The Anchor established that the Chief Officer for Enforcement Col Mbithi Wathi had to put his foot on the ground to stop corruption cartels in the town from defrauding the county authority in fees that developers ought to pay.
Our investigations show that the developer paid a paltry Kes 1,500 to cover application and Kes 2,500 for approval fees for renovations and fixing of 1 door.
But by the time an inspection was ordered, five doors and an entire wall had been partitioned, creating of shops facing Kiamba Mall with the open drainage separating the building from the road being partially covered.
No plan was submitted for approval that would indicate structural or engineering works to be done an neither had public health nor fire/ emergency departments made submissions on the building.
Yesterday, the town's enforcement officers painted yellow crosses on the walls as all works were halted on the structure that previously hostrd
