Pretenders! Ichung'wah bashes politicians 'sympathising' with Mavoko victims

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah has called out politicians sympathising with the victims of ongoing Mavoko Portland Cement eviction and demolitions.

Ichung'wah claimed that the victims were defrauded by politicians and duped into buying public land.

"Some investors, many of them including political leaders use what we call “squatter” to invade private land, subdivide it and then sell it to gullible Kenyans then when their houses are demolished the same politicians turn around and accuse the demolishers, yet they are part of the scam," Ichung'wah alleged on Tuesday.

Ongoing demolitions on East African Portland Cement PLC land have entered day five.

The demolitions, which began last Friday, have seen hundreds of residents of the newly created county village in Athi River, Machakos, rendered homeless with several schools and churches demolished.

Those who had settled in the area were forced to evict as  bulldozers roared louder bringing down lush homes on the disputed land.

Speaking on the demolitions, Ichung'wah further said that the Mavoko victims were duped and defrauded.

The UDA MP said it was hurting to see people's investments flattened because of selfish individuals.

"Kenyans have been defrauded and today there is a cry in Mavoko. Kenyans who invested their hard earnings in buying land, and built houses have had to see their investments, some lifetime savings come down," he said.

"However, these people did not fall on that land like manna from heaven. They were conned by people who made them invest their resources in land that did not belong to the purported sellers."

The Majority Leader spoke while contributing to a debate on the probable loss of investments in Cytonn high yields solution platform.

Sotik MP Francis Sigei said that innocent people were being punished for the Mavoko demolitions.

He stated that by demolishing the houses, the government has shown its true definition of Bottom-Up where the poor at the bottom suffer.

"I was shocked over the weekend that the poorest of the poor are suffering. These people are innocent and we are punishing the wrong people," Sigei said.

The demolitions are being effected after a ten-year court battle between the cement grinder, East African Portland Cement PLC and Aimi Ma Lukenya came to a close at Machakos ELC Court on October 9, 2023.

The high court in Machakos on October 9 declared East African Portland Cement PLC the legitimate owner of land LR NO. 10424 located within Athi River in Mavoko, Machakos county.

This follows a legal suit No 74 of 2014 filed at Machakos ELC Court by some individuals, and officials of Aimi Ma Lukenya Society against the cement grinder on the said land’s ownership dispute in 2014.

The suit had been consolidated with Petition No 10 of 2018 with Julius Mutie Mutua, Alex Kyalo Mutemi, Pascal Kiseli Basilo Mungui listed as plaintiffs suing as officials of Aimi Ma Lukenya Society and East African Portland Cement Ltd, chief Lands registrar and Attorney General as first, second and third defendants respectively.

Judge Lady Justice A. Nyukuri, sitting at Machakos ELC Court on monday ruled that the plaintiff suit stands dismissed and struck out with costs to the defendant.

“This matter coming up for mention, in the presence of Nekoye holding brief for Simiyu for Plaintiff, Tuusime holding brief for Mr Sigei for 1st Defendant, Busuka 5th Defendant, Mwalozi for 2nd and 3rd defendant for Attorney General and in the absence of the Counsel for National Land Commission and upon hearing them,” Nyakuri ruled on October 9, 2023.

"It is hereby ordered that the Plaintiff's suit be and is hereby struck out with costs to the Defendant, a copy of the proceeding and today's ruling be supplied to the parties on payment of court fees.”

The 4,298 acres is located along Mombasa Road, South of Athi River Township in Machakos County.

The residents are said to have settled on the land after EAPC PLC finished its mining operations on it a decade ago.