Seventy-year-old Rose Ayuma sat on a floral sofa chair next to her daughter-in-law, Jackline Khisa.
Her chapped lips had turned red and her eyes appeared sunken.
Ayuma had spent nine nights outside, either lying or seated on the same couch after her house in Mukuru Kwa Njenga was demolished.
Her frail body vividly told the story of her agony.
“The sun is not happy. It shines so brightly during the day hoping that we will leave to find shelter but by evening when it goes to sleep, we are still here,” Ayuma said.
“We can’t leave our things here because they’ll be stolen. Since I can’t walk much, I am usually left behind to take care of them”.
Ayuma has high blood pressure, and also suffers from diabetes. Her legs had begun to swell and she struggled to remember her phone number.
“There is that pain that words cannot express. From a landlord, I have become a homeless beggar. Sleeping outside on the chair and begging for food from well-wishers,” she said tearfully.
Ayuma said she bought two plots in Mukuru Kwa Njenga-one in 2002 and another in 2005.
Then, she was working as a chef at Map International.
“I bought it from two women who were working at the city-county then. The first one cost me Sh48, 000 while the second cost me Sh78, 000,” she said.
Ayuma said she put up 20 units for rent and took two where she lived with his son and his family.
For each unit, she collected Sh2,000 per month as rent, which the family depended on.
“Later, it was claimed that the land was owned by Chandaria and so I paid them Sh500, 000 at their offices in Ngong’ road,” she said.
When darkness sets in, Ayuma said they put together chairs and light a bonfire to keep them warm.
They then sleep in turns to make sure someone keeps watch.
“The other night it rained at night and we were soaked. We tried creating a shelter from the cardboard and iron sheets but by then, we had already been rained on,” she narrated.
Khisa, her daughter-in-law, has two children aged eight and four years.
She said the two have never been to school since it was demolished.
“Glorias Academy where they went to school was demolished as well. Currently, only the candidates are being taught in an open ground where the school once stood,” Khisa said.
Ayuma said she does not know the next step since she does not have any savings that would help her move from the rabbles that are left of her house.
“Movers are asking for Sh25, 000 to ferry my property to my village in Moi’s Bridge in Trans Nzoia County. I do not have any money currently,” she said.
The demolition is to pave the way for the construction of the Nairobi Expressway began in Mukuru Kwa Njenga slums on October 11.
The government asked those residing on the road reserves to vacate.
Nairobi regional commissioner James Kianda said the expansion of Catherine Ndereba Road would connect the Nairobi Expressway with Industrial Area and open up the slum for business.
“This road will act as an exit from the expressway at a link road that is being constructed around City Cabanas junction. Businesses that are situated along the road, like juakali are expected to pick up,” Kianda said.
“Plans were underway to start putting up the railway station, but we realised that it was not going to serve any function since it could not be accessed. The road will, however, enable residents to access schools and hospitals.”
Kianda urged residents to cooperate with constructors, explaining some public utilities that had been targeted could not be realised.
“The Nairobi Metropolitan Services and security officers will supervise the demolition of the informal structures that have been set up,” he said.
Edited by D Tarus
