Tycoon Pins Blame On Top Govt Officials After Multi-Billion Factory Set On Fire

A tycoon whose multi-billion shilling factory in Mlolongo, Machakos County was set on fire by unidentified goons on Saturday morning, August 12, pinned the blame on senior government officials for his woes in an ongoing land dispute between two parties.

Paras Shah, who was addressing the media, claimed that the officials allowed the risk of losing millions of shillings as well as endangering the jobs of over 700 people working for his company.

The owner of Megvel Cartons Limited also claimed that police supervised the destruction of his property amidst a land tussle with a rival company.

“An investment of Ksh4 billion has now been razed to the ground. We have shown you pictures of the destruction of machinery. Why were goons allowed to destroy the property,” he lamented.

On Friday night, unknown people gained access to the expansive land where Megvel Cartons Limited is located and demolished part of the factory including some machines.

At the entrance, some night workers were handcuffed as the strangers in the company of police marched to the factory where massive destruction was carried out in the night right.

The destruction of property was still going on by Saturday afternoon when a section of the factory was set ablaze in the absence of police who were tasked to maintain law and order.

However, according to Megvel advocate Justus Obuya, there has been a dispute between the current owner and the person eyeing the property to which both the High Court and Environment Court had issued injunctions.

On July 24 Environment and Land Court in Machakos issued stay orders until August 10, 2023, for further directives.

But according to Obuya, an auctioneer went to court and obtained an eviction order at the magistrate court under miscellaneous application.

Even so, Obuya acting for the factory rushed to court and obtained at Machakos court and applied that the auctioneer’s orders be set aside.

The court issued stay orders and directed the Mlolongo OCS to ensure that no property is destroyed.

“Pending the hearing of and determination of this application inter-partes the orders issued on June 30th be and is hereby stayed and that inter partes hearing on 15th August 2023,” the court order reads in part.

After getting the orders, however, Obuya claimed that attempts to serve the Mlolongo police station were futile until the strangers stormed into the factory and vandalized the machines and other materials set ablaze.

According to Mlolongo police boss Anderson Muriithi, police acted on earlier court orders secured by the auctioneers.

“There was a court directive for us to maintain law and order as the auctioneers carry out their activities,” Muriithi.

Muriithi added that he had gathered reports that some people gained access to the factory and destroyed a section of it.

It was reported that about 500 people were working in the factory which has since been left in shells following the occurrence.

The Judiciary building in Nairobi. /FILE