If you stay in Nairobi, you may have heard or even visited Nairobi Lunar Park together with your family.
Nairobi Lunar Park is a property located near Uhuru Park that has for over 10 years been offering Kenyans who want to relax some recreational facilities.
But the park will soon be demolished. The Kenya Railways will be demolishing properties on the land to pave way for the construction of the Expressway Road. But traders are crying foul saying they won’t move.
According to traders at the property, the move by Kenya Railways will lead to losses worth millions of shillings given that they have not been served with a notice on when to vacate and whether they will be compensated.
The traders led by their Chairman Mr. Clifford Ngwale say they have owned businesses at the property for over 10 years and that they have been paying their rent to Kenya Railways Retirement Benefits Scheme “without fail.”
“We now hear that they have planned to demolish our business as soon as tonight. We have not been served with any notice and we call on the management of Kenya Railways to come clear on this matter because it touches on our livelihoods,” he said.
Coming at a time that the Covid-19 pandemic has affected most businesses in the country, the demolition will add to the list of millions of other businesses that have had to shut down due to the pandemic.
Over 1,000 people who directly get their daily bread from the park will be rendered jobless adding to the list of the more than 1.7 million other Kenyans who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19.
The concerned authorities, that is, Kenya Railways and the Ministry of Transport have remained mute over the matter of the park with traders asking for more time to move their properties.