City Council and KICC guards in near fight

By FELIX OLICK and CYRUS OMBATI

The standoff between the City Council of Nairobi and Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) management over Sh26 million debt took a new twist.

Security personnel from the two institutions nearly clashed before council employees forcibly took over the disputed Comesa parking ground.

Hundreds of council employees pulled down the gates of the parking lot and clamped several vehicles. The workers used lorries to block all entrances inconveniencing motorists who park there.

This forced vehicle owners, who had earlier paid KICC, to make double payment.

The council askaris blocked all gates and turned a deaf ear to pleas from motorists to allow them in.

“We are under instructions not to allow any more motorists here,” said one official.

Sufficient notice

The new Town Clerk Roba Duba said Monday the council issued the KICC management with a notice last Wednesday, ordering it out of the grounds for the council to collect revenue. The move follows failure by KICC to pay money allegedly owed the council.

“We gave sufficient notice to people who have dues to the council to pay up. If these dues are not paid we will take steps to enforce the right to collect under the provision of the law,” the Town Clerk said.

In the meantime, KICC management was holed up in a meeting with City Hall chiefs led by Duba.

Nairobi Mayor George Aladwa, who visited the area briefly, maintained that KICC had to pay the outstanding debts. “They must pay rates to enable people to continue enjoying services of the City Council,” noted the mayor.

Kenya Local Government Workers Union Secretary Benson Olianga, who led the workers in storming the area, insisted all debtors have to pay to facilitate the payment of salaries to council employees. He maintained that the more than 11,000 council workers had not been paid their salaries for months while their medical scheme had also been withdrawn due to non-payment of premiums.

“They must pay us to enable us to fend for our families like other Kenyans,” insisted Olianga.

The union officials threatened that today they would pitch tent at the Central Bank building. They also sent a warning to the Clerk of the National Assembly Patrick Gichohi and management of Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, which owes the council Sh500 million and Sh502 million respectively.

How do we operate with empty hands?” posed Assistant Secretary Moses Mwaura.

On Monday, The Town Clerk lamented that government institutions are the biggest land rate defaulters, making the council unable to provide basic services and pay salaries.

Other institutions accused of defaulting in paying the council are Kenya Revenue Authority and Kenya Power.

 

On Tuesday, the fight over control of the Comesa grounds parking lot nearly went physical after City Council employees blocked entrances to the premises.

The workers used lorries to block all entrances inconveniencing motorists who park there. This caused a standoff between the council employees, motorists and KICC management that has been running the parking lot.

The council askaris blocked all gates and refused to hear pleas from motorists to allow them in.

“We are under instructions not to allow any more motorists here,” said one official.

The Town Clerk said Monday the council issued the KICC management with a notice last Wednesday, ordering it out of the grounds to enable the council collect revenue.

The move follows failure by KICC to pay monies allegedly owed the council.

“We gave sufficient notice to people who have dues to the council to pay up. If these dues are not paid we will take steps to enforce the right to collect under the provision of the law,” the Town Clerk said.

Cars, which had been parked there earlier, including Government vehicles, were clamped by City Council parking attendants who demanded Sh140 parking fees.

“The space you see here is a public space. The law provides that parking amenities and facilities in public places are managed by the City Council. KICC owes the City Council Sh26 million in land rates alone,” said Duba

KICC Managing Director Beatrice Makawiti said the land in question belongs to the Government, which has mandated the centre to manage it.

“The Ministry of Lands through the Ministry of Tourism gave us the mandate to manage that space until a permanent solution is found. Neither City Hall nor KICC can claim that land,” she explained.

The Town Clerk said the council would continue to reclaim its assets and collect all debts owed to it.

The issue is still in court and a ruling is expected anytime.