Kenya: 3,000 people lost jobs after properties demolished in Nakuru town

After properties worth millions were demolished yesterday on October 11 in Nakuru town, Kenya, more than 3,000 people have lost their jobs, according to a news report by Daily Nation.

All the buildings on Kenya Railways land along Geoffrey Kamau Way were demolished on Saturday night, October 10.

Businesses stretching about 500 meters were demolished in a move meant to pave way for the rehabilitation of the Nairobi-Nakuru-Kisumu medium meter gauge railway and the Sh160 billion expansion of the Limuru-Nakuru road, which starts at Lironi all the way to Mau Summit.

The project is being undertaken under the Presidential Delivery Unit, with engineers from the Kenya Defence Forces providing technical support.

On Saturday evening, business owners and tenants were frantically carting away their property in lorries to salvage the most they could.

At Falcon petrol station, tankers were drawing fuel days after the station was marked for demolition.

A spot check by the Nation revealed that some of the businesses were barely a few months old while others were yet to open doors.

For instance, a newly built accommodation facility -- by The Place Grill Park -- was to be launched later this month.

The tenants had leases of between 15 to 30 years and had established mega businesses that included nightclubs, hotels, and accommodation, gas stations, car bazaars, a tire center among others.

Transport along the busy Nakuru - Eldoret highway was disrupted for hours as looters made away with iron sheets, metals, furniture, refrigerators among other properties despite heavy police presence.