Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho’s administration is probing circumstances that led to beach encroachment in Shanzu.
The owners of Dolphin Hotel have been accused of flouting building regulations. The hotel is said to be owned by a top Jubilee politician from Rift Valley
The case came to the limelight on Thursday, with the arrests of Nation Media Group journalists Karim Rajan and Laban Walloga. They had been recording the construction of the building said to belong to a top government official.
The county ordered investigations and threatened a law suit against the developer in a communique on Friday.
“It should be noted that no construction is allowed beyond the 30 metre water mark. There can be no compromise about that because it is the law,” Richard Chacha said. “If the private developer is found to have contravened the law, action will be taken.”
This is the second time that Dolphin Hotel – a franchise of African Safari Club which has been sold to a top government official – has faced opposition.
In 2017, the construction was stopped after regulations regarding disposal of waste from the site were breached. The county said debris were dumped on the roadside.
Contractor Avco Agencies Limited was ordered to stop operations but still went on.
“The development of the land has been carried out without permission. You are required to immediately cease the undertaking of any works and/or construction,” the county letter stated.
The county has not approved ocean invasion. It is also keen on reclaiming the Kibarani dumpsite land.
The National Land Commission said the dumpsite was grabbed in 1994, subdivided into four parcels and allocated to three companies.
Chairman Muhammad Swazuri said the plots were illegally and irregularly allocated to Ancient Inland Seas Ltd (0.4ha and 1.3ha), Halid Ahmed (0.5ha) and Mtech Ltd (2.6ha).
Swazuri said seven parcels stretching into the Indian Ocean have also been allocated.
