Monday’s Azimio mass demonstrations were dotted with several ugly incidents including the invasion of Northlands City, a multi-billion private property owned by founding father Jomo Kenyatta’s family.
Unknown people stormed into the estate in Ruiru and made away with sheep.
Several miles away in Industrial Area along Mombasa Road, goons also vandalised East Africa Spectre Limited premises linked to Azimio leader Raila Odinga and broke window glasses.
The twin criminal acts amount to malicious damage to property by law established.
But until and after the twin incidents, many still have little knowledge about the two establishments.
Northlands City is a Sh500 billion-shilling project lying on 11,576 acres of land along the eastern bypass.
The idea of the project bears a striking similarity to one late Pop idol Michael Jackson must have had in developing the famous Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara, California, USA or Konza City in Machakos County.
The was envisioned to have a central business district, commercial space, an industrial zone, schools and high and low-income residential areas.
A section of the expansive parcel of land was also set aside for tree planting, particularly eucalyptus, livestock grazing as well as wildlife conservation.
The lower-income residential housing aspect was incorporated into the project largely to avert the sprouting of squatters or unplanned housing while at the same time ensuring it meets the needs of the middle class.
A progress report and Strategic Environmental Assessment by the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), show that the business district will occupy 390 acres.
The residential area will house up to 250,000 residents, the industrial park will take up 695 acres, 650 acres of which would be occupied by Brookside Dairy.
Some 86 acres would be covered by two schools which will comprise a senior school, a preparatory, a Kindergarten and a high school.
A wildlife conservancy would occupy 5,156 acres, a clubhouse, hotel or shopping (33 acres), and recreational space (1,697 acres), while water facilities and other features would take 266 acres.
East Africa Spectre Limited
It is the leading and largest cylinder manufacturer in the Eastern and Central African region with an installed capacity of about two million units per annum, the official website shows.
Among its clients include Vivo Energy, Total Energies, Circle Gas, Boc and Linde, Lake Oil, Future Gas, Rubies, Ola Energy and Jaguar.
Other than Kenya, Spectre has a market in Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, DRC Congo, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia.
The premises were on Monday vandalised by suspected goons who arrived on motorbikes.
Security and safety manager at the company Humphrey Waswa told the media that about 50 people arrived at the company on motorbikes at around 11.30 am and attacked them.
“They were being supported by four unmarked vehicles, Land cruiser and we suspect that their target was our managing director because her office is the one that has been damaged so much,” he said.
Police car burnt by Pro-Azimio protestors in Kawangware
A police car was torched in Nairobi’s Kawangware area in chaos between police and protesters.
No policeman was injured in the drama in the Muslim area, police said.
The police saloon car was among dozens of vehicles in the area that engaged protesters in running battles.
Image: SCREEN GRAB
This is as the police tried to block the protesters’ convoy from leaving Kawangware.
The group had chased the police for a distance before the driver diverted and parked it before running away.
Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei condemned the incident.
He said no injuries were reported in the drama.
Bungei said no arrest was made in the incident.
During the running battle in the area, the protestors also pelted stones at the police officers.
The officers who were first to throw teargas at the convoy had a rough time responding.
The police then boarded their vehicle, and they rushed to safety.
The Star