Two investors in Malindi clashed publicly over a prime beach access road in dispute within the resort town.
The drama unfolded after a faction of the investor with some local elders and goons stormed the formerly Pata Pata beach club road demanding that another investor owning Lepliadi resort open up the access to allow their Kenyan investor to reach his beach property.
Led by Shelali Abdalla, the delegation of over 20 people wondered why the owner of Lepleiadi was blocking the access road for their investor to begin constructing a multi-billion beach project.
Shelalli said the Kenyan investor wanted to put up a beach mall, the first of its kind in Malindi, a mosque, beach apartments, and a restaurant but was being blocked from accessing his beach property by Lepleiadi resort management.
As they showed journalists the area where blocks had been arranged to prevent access, a manager of Lepleiadi appeared and began shouting at them to get out of his premises as there was no access road in the area.
Henry Chavanji caused a scene as he ordered all those who had come to get out as they were trespassing a private property and asked them never to step foot again.
However, the goons accompanying Shelali and the elders confronted him and roughed him up, saying the area in question was a public road they had known for many years and he had no power to block them.
Chavanji’s s car was also broken into, and the goons stole money and jewelry.
They engaged him in a pull and pushed to ensure Chavanji did not block them from using the access road, creating an ugly scene at the road as he shouted at them, demanding them to go away.
Abdala, who represents the Investors seeking access, accused the management of Lepleiadi Investment Limited of blocking a beach access road by erecting a perimeter road, barring another investor from accessing his property.
“We have been having a lot of news for the whole week from only one person who has been misleading the entire nation and media fraternity and inciting the public for no reason. Today we have come as a community with our elders; we have a senior curator, old leaders, former councilors mayor,” he said.
He said they were not contesting against property ownership, but their concern was about the public road, which should be opened.
Abdalla said Lepleiadi set up a fence to show the end of his property clearly, and on the other side, there was a perimeter wall leaving the open space as an access road. Still, they wondered why they were blocking investors from accessing their property.
He said the access road led to the famous Pata Pata Beach club, whose owner was deported by the government over allegations of drug trafficking.
“The problem we have in Malindi now is that Italian investors left, and caretakers are taking over the properties and have no history of the properties. They are the ones trying to block access roads,” he said.
Earlier, Chavanji had accused the investor 0of allegedly grabbing riparian land, which was earmarked for recreational facilities from Vasco Da Gama to Sabaki estuary.
Shelali said Riparian land was only two meters from the high-water mark, adding that his investor had left 120 meters and still left the amusement area.
“We are here for the sake of the public; we have no interest. I am not an investor. I have no interest here. My interest is to ensure the public has a right to this access road,” he said.
Chavanji said the Investors were riparian land grabbers forcing access through private properties and had now resorted to goons threatening investors.
“They even threatened tourists and guests in our residence. I was assaulted, and they broke into my car and stole money and jewelry. I have reported the matter to the police for action,” he said.
Chavanji called on the relevant government agencies to act and save genuine investors from constant harassment.
He particularly called on the tourism and land ministries to look into the matter since it negatively affects tourism.
Harrison Shutu, a resident of Malindi, said the access road has existed for decades and wondered why it was being closed by someone who came recently and had no history of the area.
“We urge our government to allow the access road to the public so that investors and tourists can access the beach and their properties. There is a project of more than billions of shillings if unlimited job opportunities will be available for the locals,” he said.
Abdalla Ali, a retired Senior curator of the National Museum of Kenya who is over 70 years old, said since he was growing up, the area was called the golf club road, and there was an access road to the beach.
“We were passing this road for many years but to my surprised, I am seeing stones have been put here to block access,” he said.
Charo Mwalungo, a taxi driver born in Malindi over 50 years ago, called President William Ruto to intervene to attract investors.