Hazard: Ngong forest houses risk burning down as they sit on oil pipeline

Houses built from annexed Ngong Forest land risk being razed down by fire as they sit on top Nairobi-Eldoret-Kisumu pipleline.

The pipeline as seen by a map navigates across dozens of plots that have now been developed.

The pipes meander through Sunvalley Estate phase II while bordering Royal place estate.

St. Mary’s hospital, Langata View Estate, Langata Gardens, Park place Estate, KMA and Sun Valley phase I and Phase II are classified as Estates hazardously close to the pipes.

Spurces indicate that authorities are in the process of categorising the parcels having gotten the LR number for the main title.

An allowance of 30 × 30 feet metres would have been considered, this is according to one of the sources.

Back in 2011, a leakage happened from a pipeline belonging to Kenya Pipeline Company, which was passing through the Mukuru slum, Sinai area.

Fire exploded killing 120 people and injured several as slum residents tapped the fuel. The demolition of Taj Mall is also said to have been necessitated by construction close to a pipeline.

Environment CS Keriako Tobiko has since noted that the government will start reclamation of all land unlawfully acquired by private developers within Ngong Road Forest.

According to Tobiko the forest will be linked up with the Nairobi National Park once repossessed.

He added that a tunnel will be constructed to create enough space for animals.

“Except the areas that were lawfully degazetted, all the other parcels of this forest whether people have titles of not, whether they have built structures for business or residential houses, will be reclaimed,’ said Tobiko.

Tobiko asserted that the forest land was not open for distribution.

According to sources, the hiving off of forest land is said to have started during President Daniel Moi’s regime, with Francis Lotodo who was then the Natural Resources Minister hiving off 132 acres before allotting it for social amenities.