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Citizen Weekly

Monday 8 September 2014

ASIAN TYCOON FIRM IN POLLUTION SAGA



A firm associated with Sherej family in Mombasa is at the centre of a conflict with Miritini residents over pollution of the environment that has allegedly resulted into various ailments and the destruction of houses and plants impacting negatively on the environment.

A yard operated by Sherej company to store imported clinker at Miritini is being opposed by residents who claim the dust emissions from the firm is hazardous and has caused the destruction of plants. The iron sheets on their houses have also been affected, they say. Apart from this, the residents claim most of them suffer from chest-related complications.

To press for closure of the pollutant yard, the residents have held several demonstrations. However, their actions appear not to have caused any impact as the firm continues to operate unabated. The face of the company is one Naresh who it is claimed is a ruthless individual who brooks no nonsense.

Naresh whose flagship is a transport company that owns over 300 trucks is reportedly a close associate of Cord leader Raila Odinga and is rumoured to have been one of those who bankrolled the opposition leader’s campaigns at the Coast in the last general elections. Locally, Naresh is well connected within the powers that be in Mombasa county government.

Apart from the clinker menace, the Sherej fleet of lorries have become a nightmare along Shimanzi area where they are parked haphazardly along the road. As a result, there are always traffic jams on the section of the road. The office of the county executive for transport is adjacent to the Shimanzi road area where Sherej lorries have monopolised it but it is said due to Naresh’s powerful connections, the transport executive cannot dare raise a finger.

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