Police intervene to prevent clash over NSSF land dispute

Youths allegedly deployed to protect a leased parking land belonging to NSSF along Kenyatta Avenue, Nairobi on Monday, August 19. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Police intervened on Monday, August 19, to prevent a clash between National Youth Service (NYS) members and security personnel allegedly hired to protect National Social Security Fund (NSSF) land in the city.

NYS members were deployed by NSSF after Hasmo Agencies Limited's five-year lease on the land expired without renewal.

Officers from Central Police Station, led by OCS Moses Shikuku, restored order and averted chaos at the scene.

Hassan Mohamed, owner of Hasmo Agencies Limited, brought in security personnel after claiming he was not informed of NSSF's takeover. Mohamed presented a court order from the Environment and Land Court at Milimani, dated August 15, 2023, which allowed him to continue operating his business on the land. The order identified NSSF as the defendant and Hasmo Agencies Limited as the plaintiff.

Justice Oscar Angote had ordered NSSF to stop removing Hasmo Agencies from the land. Mohamed said the company went to court after NSSF erected barricades blocking access to the site, where the firm operates a vehicle parking service. The court instructed NSSF to remove the barricades on August 15, 2023.

Court documents dated December 22, 2023, show that NSSF officials, including Managing Trustee David Koros, Head of Legal Hellen Koech, Property Manager Obed Mbuvi, and Head of Security Isaac Tuei Koskei, were found in contempt of court orders issued on August 14 and 15. They were ordered to appear in court for mitigation and sentencing on April 15, 2024.

Mohamed protested, saying he sought compensation for the four years of losses incurred while in court with NSSF. He stated he was willing to leave the land if compensated.