Members of Parliament have proposed cutting away part of Nairobi Dam near Seefar Apartments as an alternative to demolishing the estate.
The National Assembly Committee on Environment and Natural Resources said the dam no longer serves city residents and that it would be unreasonable to destroy homes bought with loans and mortgages when another solution is possible.
During a meeting with officials from the Water Resources Management Authority, the National Environmental Management Authority and residents of Seefar Apartments, the committee accused the agencies of approving the project and later shifting position to support demolition.
Kipkelion West MP Hillary Kosgey and Mathioya MP Peter Kihara argued that the dam, which they said has become a sewer, should not be protected at the expense of more than 1,000 families living in the apartments.
Mr Kosgey questioned why the dam could not be removed to spare the residents and warned that demolitions of this kind could discourage investors from coming to Kenya.
He also asked when Warma and Nema decided the apartments should come down, given that they were the same agencies that had authorised construction.
Chief Administrative Secretary in the Environment ministry Mohammed Elmi told the committee that the dam poses a health risk.
Committee chairman Kareke Mbiuki said Warma and Nema had taken too long to act after construction began in 2011, and said the committee was worried about the safety of residents if the dam bursts.
Warma chief executive Mohamed Shuriye said the authority had allowed the construction, but now recognised the danger if it rains.
Nema director-general Geoffrey Wakhungu insisted that the residents must leave.
“Our position on this issue in 2011 and today has not changed. If the developer had complied with the conditions, we would not be here,” he said.
