Many buildings to come down in dual road plan

A section of building in Karatina Town which will be brought down to pave way for Kenol-Marua Dual carriageway. [Kibata Kihu, Standard]

Several buildings and properties in Karatina Town valued at millions of shillings are set for demolition in the ongoing construction of Kenol-Sagana-Marua dual carriage on the Great North highway.

Kenya National Highway Authority (Kenha) Director-General Peter Mundinia said several buildings on the left side of town will be demolished to pave way for the construction of the road. Among businesses to be pulled down are Omega, Maguna and Mathai supermarkets, Total, Mogas and Ola Petrol stations and a host of other business along the road.

A section of Karatina Girl’s High School, Baricho Farmers’ Co-operative Society, and several commercial buildings in the town centre will also be affected. Mundinia said according to the design of the 84-kilometre dual carriage that starts from Kenol and ends at Marua market, the road will cut across Karatina town and will not be diverted away from the town centre.

“The dual carriage is going to pass through this town. All we are going to do is to expand the existing network and this will, of course, call for some buildings to be pulled down and this will eventually affect business,” Mundinia said.                                                       

He said building and structures on the right side would not be affected by the demolition.

He said those owners of building and businesses that will be demolished will be compensated at the market rates once the valuation is done.

“Compensation is a must since these are private properties. Valuation will be undertaken by the National Land Commission. After the valuation we will move in and affect payments to those affected,” said Mundinia.

Properties that are eligible for compensation, he noted are buildings, land, assets on the land such as crops, trees and graves and affected public social utilities such as power supply, water pipelines that will require relocation.

He further said the current design will also involve putting a flyover over the rail line near DEB Primary School.

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