Tall & Urban News

The construction of the Ksh5 billion (US$45 million) G47 Ugatuzi Tower in Hurlingham, Nairobi County has drawn protest from a section of Kenyans who moved to court to oppose the project.

Kenya County Government Workers Union (KCGWU) wants the High Court to halt the project spearheaded by the Council of Governors (COG). 

The union sought for court orders to bar the Local Authority Pension Trust (Lap Trust) and County Pension Fund (CPF) from providing funds for the construction of the skyscraper. 

Secretary-General Roba Duba argued that the governors were constructing the building on a prime plot owned by the county workers and that their pension was being used to fund the project. 

He added that the plan was not subjected to public participation. 

"It will be against the public interest if retirees cannot access their pension due to the illegal investments arising from Ugatuzo Towers. "To date, members and other stakeholders do not know the specifics of the project apart from the information in the public domain," the union lamented.

A date for mention will be set by the court to listen to the grievances of the union workers. 

President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned the construction of the skyscraper on Friday, 4 December, 2020. 

The 50-story building will host the Ministry of Devolution headquarters and Council of Governors Secretariat. It will also feature the Devolution National Conference Centre with a capacity to hold 1,200 people. 

An ultra-modern devolution museum and library which will be named after President Uhuru Kenyatta will also be hosted in the building. 

The library dubbed Uhuru Kenyatta Devolution Museum and Library will have the central repository to showcase the devolution journey supported by the Head of State. 

For more on this story, go to Kenyans.