Panic as private developer blocks access to school

A school in Kakamega is contemplating going to court after a private developer erected a perimeter wall blocking its entrance a few hours before students report back for the first term.

Jabstir Academy which sits along the State Lodge Road in Milimani, fears that the six-foot-tall perimeter wall will prevent students from accessing the school.

“We don't know who the private developer is but what we know is that our learners cannot access the school since the developer whom we hear is a powerful individual has erected the wall,” said the school director Stella Kombo.

“I asked the people building the wall why they are blocking the access route that has existed for over forty years but they said they have orders from above,” she added.

Ms Kombo has so far visited the offices of the Lands Registrar, Kakamega, and Western Regional Commissioner in a bid to have the wall brought down to allow access to the school.

She has engaged a lawyer to file a case under a certificate of urgency to get orders to pull down the wall before the school opens on Monday.

“I have engaged a lawyer Wafula to file the case so that we can pull down the barrier, have our vehicles get out of the school to pick learners on opening day and even do general cleaning in the school,” she said.

“Parents have been calling and some have even engaged the developer on why he is blocking a road that has been in use for all those years but he seems reluctant.”

Western Regional Commissioner Samson Macharia said the matter involves land which falls under Bloc D site where a number of buildings have been brought down to pave the way for the construction of affordable houses.

Mr Macharia acknowledged that the school acquired the lease title legally and the only issue dispute with the private developer was the access road that serves three parcels of land in the bloc.

“The school is the legal owner of the parcel according to documents from the Land Registrar’s office. I have now asked them to get an independent surveyor to help us interpret where the actual road should pass ahead of opening of schools,” he said.

“If the expert opinion shows the developer encroached on the road I will immediately bring down the wall to allow the innocent learners to get their right to education as the school owners get their right to access their property (school),” he added.