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A fire broke out at Northlands City Project – a
property owned by the family of former President Uhuru Kenyatta- on the evening of Tuesday, March 27.
The fire was reported to have started minutes after 7 pm with images of the property circulating on social media.
From the images, the fire engulfed part of the forest located on the property along the Eastern Bypass.
Notably, the incident happened hours after the property was attacked by goons who cut down trees and took away an unknown number of cattle.
During the March 27, incident, over 100 armed Intruders invaded the Northlands farm along the Eastern Bypass. They cut down trees using power saws and made away with an unknown number of livestock before setting a section of the farm on fire.
A video surfaced on Monday evening of a fire burning at Northlands farm.
The farm in Ruiru sub-county is linked to former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s family.
The 17-second video recorded in the evening hours shows fire blazing at the farm which had been intruded on during the day.
Journalists who were filming the incident were chased away and a Nation Media Group reporter was injured in the fracas.
The motive of the attack is yet to be established.
The over 11,000-acre farm, Northlands City, was set to host a real estate haven that included low and high-income residential areas, an agricultural zone, an industrial area and schools.
It is estimated that the ambitious project would cost up to Sh500 billion and with a population of at least 250,000 people.
Journalists who were at the scene had to secretly film the invasion after they were threatened by machete-wielding intruders.
The intruders, mostly men took away sheep. Some carried the animals on their backs and others stuffed the sheep in waiting cars. The looting went on along the busy highway according to The StandardÂ
The cause of the fire and the value of damages is yet to be established.
By the time of publication, firefighters were yet to get to the scene. Police were also not at the scene when the fire broke out.
Earlier in the day, goons raided the property with a number of them filmed cutting down trees and stealing sheep. The armed goons also destroyed the fence of the property.
Following the incident, Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga condemned the attack even as he also addressed the raid that was carried out on his company – the East Africa Spectre Limited by unknown individuals.
The forest cover is said to have been set ablaze by a group of unknown persons who invaded the farm earlier today and looted property of unknown value.
The gang invaded the multi-billion property well-armed with machetes and power saws before they began to cut down eucalyptus trees as others made away with sheep grazing on the farm.
Raila’s gas company is located along Mombasa Road.
“Today, those cowards sent goons to Uhuru’s farm in Ruiru and other people to East Africa Spectre. Those are acts of criminals,” he stated.
Azimio leaders also called on the police to take action against the orchestrators of the loot even as a section of Kenya Kwanza leaders claimed that the attacks were allegedly planned by Azimio.
“The attacks against Northlands & EA spectre Ltd were sponsored for public sympathy,” Kericho Senator Samson Cherargei claimed.
The Kenyatta family is yet to formally issue a statement on the raid and the fire on their property.
Raila’s property damaged
Similar attacks were witnessed at opposition leader Raila Odinga’s East Africa Spectre Limited, a gas plant situated along Mombasa Road.
Videos that have surfaced online show goons pelting stones and destroying property at the former prime minister’s company
The firm located in the Industrial area is among the leading players in the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder businesses.
Raila condemned the two attacks, terming them as acts of cowardice.
Speaking during the opposition’s anti-government protests in Kibera, Nairobi, Raila blamed the attacks on senior Kenya Kwanza leaders.
“Those cowards sent goons today to Uhuru Kenyatta’s farm. They have also resorted to sending people to my Spectre factory. That is an act of crime and stupidity,” Raila lamented.
“We have followed the constitution in our politics and protests. Those invading other people’s farms and factories are cowards.”
He maintained that the opposition won’t be cowed by the acts and will continue with their push for economic and electoral reforms in the country.
Sources:K24.The Standard and The Kenyans.co.ke