27 schools built on riparian land face demolition
27 schools built on riparian land face demolition
27 schools built on riparian land face demolition
Nairobi has about 27 schools that are about to be razed because they were built on riparian territory.
This is in response to a recent government order mandating the demolition of buildings located approximately 100 meters away from waterways.
Of the impacted educational institutions, eight are located in the constituencies of Makadara and Mathare, four in Kasarani, and three in Kamukunji. Westlands, Starehe, Ruaraka, and Roysambu each have one school.
Unified Alternative Providers of Basic Education and Training (APBET) institutes make up the majority of the schools. In areas without many government schools, such as informal settlements, APBET institutes offer vital educational services.
APBET National Executive Committee member Dr. Paul Wanjohi claims that if the decision is implemented, many pupils may be prevented from attending class, citing the high number of students who have already left school after being forced to flee flooding.
He said, “The majority of the students who attend these schools come from low-income families who cannot afford to pay tuition in public or private institutions.”
To justify the demolitions, the government argues that the lessons learnt during the heavy April rains, which left a trail of deaths and destruction, should not be repeated.
Good thought but the manner in which it is being executed raises concern.
Two deaths have so far been reported during the demolitions. Those tasked with the demolitions must ensure that all the premises are vacated before they commence their work.
The structures are not completely knocked down but are left hanging precariously, putting the public at risk.
However, of greater concern is that the demolitions so far seem to target only the informal settlements, but not structures standing along riverbanks and riparian land in affluent areas.
This brings to fore the drama in George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm, where some animals, after rebelling against their master, promise an equal, free and happy society but end up being worse than their master.
The demolitions must be handled fairly to prove that indeed some animals are not more equal than others.