Mechanics riot after Grogan plot fenced off

Mechanics protest the fencing off of a plot near Nairobi's Globe Cinema roundabout, which they had occupied June 18, 2013. JEFF ANGOTE 

By PETER LEFTIE pmutibo@ke.nationmedia.com, Tuesday, June 18  2013

In Summary

The mechanics arrived at the Grogan site only to find it fenced off Tuesday morning.

• They immediately barricaded the road leading to the plot and lit bonfires in protest.

A religious organisation has taken possession of a plot near the Globe Cinema roundabout prompting an angry reaction from mechanics who had occupied the site.

The mechanics arrived at the Grogan site only to find it fenced off Tuesday morning.

They immediately barricaded the road leading to the plot and lit bonfires in protest.

Police were deployed to repel the angry mechanics and running battles ensued.

A contingent of General Service Unit (GSU) officers and regular police fired teargas in the air to keep the rioters at bay.

The Trustees of the Jamia Mosque Committee are acting on the orders issued by High court judge Justice Pauline Nyamweya last September.

“That the plaintiffs shall vacate and give vacant possession of the suit property L.R No. 209/136/259 to the Ist defendant, Trustees of Jamia Mosque Committee who shall immediately erect a perimeter wall," reads the orders.

Police at the scene where mechanics lit bonfires to protest the fencing off of a plot near Nairobi's Globe Cinema roundabout, which they had occupied June 18, 2013. JEFF ANGOTE

The judge’s orders were based on a mutual consent entered between the Mosque committee, the mechanics and the original owners of the plot, the Hebatulla family in September last year.

Under the terms of the consent, the Hebatulla family agreed to offer the mechanics a piece of land measuring 1.25 acres as compensation in order for them to vacate the disputed plot.

This is after the court established that the Mosque committee had lawfully bought the disputed plot from the Hebatulla family.    

The disputed plot was the scene of running battles the GSU and the mechanics in 2009, with the then Housing assistant minister and Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru accusing then Internal Security minister the late Prof George Saitoti of protecting private developers. 

The Jamia Mosque Committee led by its chairman Mohamed Warfa argued that the presence of the mechanics on the plot was delaying construction work on the site.