Gov. Sonko demolishes Simmers restaurant after a clash with a private developer

Nairobi County Government officials on Monday morning demolished a business complex set up at the spot that housed Simmers Restaurant along Kenyatta Avenue in the Central Business District (CBD).

The establishment houses various businesses such as Pimp My Ride East Africa as well as photocopying, clothes outlets and was until March 3, 2019, hosting the then popular Simmers Pub.

According to some of the traders, the City Hall officials, reportedly acting on the direction of Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, arrived at the establishment at about 9:30am and commenced their demolitions.

James Saitoti, manager of Pimp My Ride, said they had not been served with any notices of eviction or court order prior to the demolitions, adding that some of their employees have also been arrested.

The establishment is associated with a Nairobi businessman who was also adversely mentioned in the recent tussle over a piece of land that houses a church and a school in Buruburu.

Governor Mike Sonko has made good his threat to demolish business premises in Nairobi CBD belonging to a man who is claimed to have been behind the demolition of a church and school on Saturday. #NTVatOne @Sharon_Baranga pic.twitter.com/mNYO6JfxGr

— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) May 27, 2019

A scuffle was witnessed on Saturday when a group of goons armed with machetes and other crude weapons arrived at the church, where school children were learning, and started to demolish it.

Governor Mike Sonko arrived at the scene a while later but the goons hurled stones at him and his convoy, forcing security officers to fire in the air to disperse the rowdy group.

Sonko, after the situation was quelled, was quoted saying a prominent businessman was allegedly behind the attempted demolitions and that he (Sonko) would not respond in kind.

“After calling the OCPD he called me, and we know him; he’s the one who has put up a car wash at Simmers,” he said.

“He has no approval even for that car wash, so the same way he has demolished this school is the same way his car wash will also go down. We do not want nonsense.”