Last month, we saw the government issue a demolition notice to the owners of Airgate Mall, formerly Taj Mall. In fact all tenants in the building were told to evacuate before 31st of August.
But more than one week later, the building still stands tall with no signs of Sany, the famous bulldozer that is feared by everyone that has a building in Nairobi.
When the demolition notice was issued, a man came out guns blazing and dared the Government to flatten the property, but it is widely believed he is no longer the owner. So the big question is who owns the building?
It must be a very powerful government individual who has the powers to stop such a process.
In August, the demolition of buildings sitting on riparian land and road reserves began in earnest.
The multi-sectoral committee with members drawn from the national and county governments have since brought down hundreds of structures owned by both the poor and the rich.
The demolition of the multi-billion shilling Southend Mall and Ukay Mall showed the authorities were prepared to walk the talk. There was no turning back, no matter the status or standing in society of the owner.
However, there is a feeling that the operation will not be complete if Airgate Centre, formerly known as Taj Mall, located at the junction of Outer Ring and Airport North roads, is not demolished. The building sits on a road reserve and is the root cause of mind-boggling traffic jams witnessed there every day.
Here is what Kenyans are saying on Twitter.
Funny how the same government processed Liu Jiaqi’s deportation papers real quick and efficiently but the same government is delaying with this Taj Mall issue and the Fuel Tax thing.
Weh! This is Kenya.Double standards per square inch. https://t.co/yblLmALaIw— SON OF TETU™?? (@ndiritumunga) September 7, 2018
Taj Mall bado iko.
We are really carried children.
— igiriwM@ ?? (@Mwirigi) September 7, 2018
That muhindi has balls of steal, he told sonko and Uhuru to stop hiding behind letters and notices delivered by clerks, he’s not on that level, he said Taj Mall will go down only if Uhuru or sonko will be driving the SANNY, hapendi ujinga!
— Ken Kibera ?? (@kenkibera) September 7, 2018
“Taj Mall” is one of those untouchable immune structures sitting on a road reserve ,Arap Singh the owner will be laughing off at any attempt to bring it down ,
— Okuta Otieno ❁ (@OkutaOtienoDeny) September 7, 2018
Many Kenyans are waiting to see if the building will be brought down.