Kara successfully hosted the 5th Annual Resident Associations Excellence Awards (ARAEA) Gala Dinner to celebrate the great work of Resident Associations in Kenya. The colorful event brought together KARA members, friends and partners from across the country and several Resident Associations were feted. This month we feature Thome Five Residents Welfare Association, Winners of Viwanja Award Category. The purpose of this award is to recognize and reward Residents Association whose work has immensely contributed towards protection of public spaces within their neighbourhood.
Thome V Residents Welfare Association was registered on 28th February 2005. The objectives of the Association are to enhance the lives of the community by recreating, improving and maintaining the environment within its operational boundaries. Below is a brief highlight of the Association’s initiative that was recognized during the Award ceremony, on protection of public spaces within the neighbourhood.
• The Association managed to recover three and a half acres Public Plot reserved for resident’s recreation, which had been grabbed by a private developer.
• The Association decided to approach the National Land Commission where their complaint was registered. This marked the turning point on quest to rescue the public plot from the grabbers.
• After almost one year of litigation, the case was finally heard and determined. NLC ruled that the allocation of the open space to a private developer was illegal and the grabbers’ fake title was cancelled. The Commission ruled that the titles be issued to the Ministry of Internal Security and the Nairobi County Government in trust for the residents.
• In early 2022, The Resident Association decided to commence development of the public plot to give value to the residents who have supported their battle to preserve the public land with their monthly contributions. The ground has been planted with grass and a chain link erected all round remaining part of the public plot.
• The Association has also put up a football pitch with two goal posts for people to play football while children from the neighboring high rise buildings are using it for their recreational activities as it is secure with a manned gate.
We congratulate Thome V Residents Welfare Association for the Award. We continue to strive for excellence among Resident Associations in promoting access to better services in Kenya.
Spotlight on Thome V Resident Welfare Association, Viwanja Category Winners at the 2023 KARA Awards
