This archive report was first published on 15 June 2021.
Kenya National Highway Authority (Kenha) is set to demolish several buildings and properties in Karatina Town to pave way for the construction of the Kenol-Sagana-Marua dual carriage on the Great North highway.
According to the design of the 84-kilometre dual carriage, the road will cut across Karatina town and will not be diverted away from the town centre.
Kenha Director-General Peter Mundinia said several buildings on the left side of town will be demolished, including Omega, Maguna and Mathai supermarkets, Total, Mogas and Ola Petrol stations, and a host of other businesses 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.
However, Mundinia said building and structures on the right side of the town will not be affected by the demolition.
He assured that owners of buildings 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,’ Mundinia said.
Properties that are eligible for compensation include buildings, land, assets on the land such as crops, trees, and graves, and affected public social utilities such as power supply and water pipelines that will require relocation.
Kenha is undertaking the construction of the dual carriage, which starts from Kenol and ends at Marua market.
