Painting of Mombasa CBD buildings on course as residents rush to beat deadline

0
2645
Painting of a building along Moi Avenue in Mombasa ongoing in line with the directive of the county government. PHOTO: BARAKA FM.

Mombasa, KENYA: The painting of all CBD buildings with a uniform color in Mombasa County is on course as residents rush to beat the deadline set by the county government.

Early March, in a notice issued to residents, the county administration had directed that all buildings be painted white with blue colour symbolizing the Indian Ocean in a bid to maintain culture and heritage of the city.

“The buildings should be in white with Egyptian blue border on the edges and windows above without any sign written on the wall or canopy,” read the notice signed by Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works executive Tawfiq Balala.

Human rights Group Commission For Human Rights and Justice (CFHRJ had moved to court to block the orders arguing that the notice is unprocedural that amounts to the abuse of the legal process and likely to deny proprietors the right to choose colours for their business.

The court on Monday, however, declined to suspend Governor Joho’s directive on the matter saying the court can not issue orders in a vacuum

Justice Ogolla said the court could not grant orders sought when (CFHRJ), the applicant, failed to state parties for which it was agitating for rights in the application.

In the notice, residents have been given 14 days to comply with the preparation of painting and 30 days from the start of the directive to complete.

Speaking to Baraka FM on Thursday, a section of Mombasa residents complained that they have not been given ample time to comply with the notice.

“They did not give us a notice of when the task to be started,instead they just came and harassed us taking people to the court,” said Juma Kisao.

Other residents, however, welcomed the idea saying it will make the city more attractive.

“Our buildings will look be more beautiful since they will have the same color white and blue,” said Mwanaisha Ali.

The exercise is expected to be completed by end of June.

Comments

comments