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Why Nakuru residents are against a Sh10 billion mall being built on land previously owned by Eveready Company

Construction of the perimeter wall around land previously used as the Eveready factory go-down takes shape on October 17, 2023.

Photo credit: FILE

By  BRET SANYA

Correspondent

Mtaa Wangu

For many who use the road that passes by the former Eveready factory, a construction site awaits them.

For most of this year, the Local Authorities Pension Fund (LAPFUND) has been in the process of building a Sh10 billion shopping mall on the land formerly owned by the Eveready company, which was sold for Sh1.3 billion in 2017.

According to the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) study report submitted to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the organisation plans to build a five-star hotel, an office block, a recreation centre, a petrol station, a kindergarten, a shopping mall, a logistics centre and six blocks of residential apartments and car parks.

Also Read: Construction of Sh10 bn mall begins on land previously owned by Eveready company

The report also suggested that the mega-project will be implemented in phases, with priority given to those facilities that would generate quick revenue.

Mtaa Wangu went to talk to some of the locals to get their views on what it means to them to have a shopping mall on such prime land.

Also Read: The sad death of multi-million factories that made Nakuru an industrial hub

Charles Otieno, a Bodaboda rider, says he was not even aware that a mall was being built on the site - he thought it was a government parastatal.

"I usually use this route when I go to Kaptembwo and I have always seen the place under construction but I never really took much interest in what was going on there because I always thought it was some kind of government building," Mr Otieno said.

Also Read: Business stories that Nakuru loved in 2023

Richard Kamau, a businessman, said a shopping mall should not have been prioritised as there are already malls in the Central Business District (CBD) that do not attract many people.

"I would rather they built a factory that would employ many people. This would improve the livelihoods of people in the nearby community like Eveready did, many people were employed and it really helped," Mr Kamau said.

So far, the perimeter wall has been completed.

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