Residents of Maganda settlement scheme in Jomvu constituency are up in arms over a lack of compensation for land they are being forced to give up to pave way for the Meter Gauge Railway line.
They have called on their political leaders to intervene and save them from being pushed into poverty.
The government intends to rehabilitate the MGR from the SGR Mombasa Terminus to the Mombasa Central Railway Station in the Central Business District.
It is aiming for four mini-stations in Changamwe East, Changamwe West, Miritini and Shimanzi.
The Sh4.2 billion project commenced in September 2022 but was derailed by land acquisition challenges, and the project was stopped at 65 per cent completion.
Transport PS Mohamed Daghar in December last year announced that the government has set aside Sh1.1 billion for the compensation, which was to be given through the National Land Commission.
On Wednesday, the Maganda settlement scheme residents, however, said the NLC has now changed tune and is only compensating them for the development on their lands and not the land itself.
They said those who were lucky to even be compensated were given peanuts after their properties were undervalued.
The residents now feel corruption has set in and some government officers want to ‘eat’ some of that money.
They said the prices of commodities have gone up and the peanuts they got cannot make them build even half of what they are being forced to demolish.
Charles Arisa, for instance, who has been at Maganda for three years, bought his land at Sh250,000 and spent another Sh600,000 to put up the small three-roomed house where his family lives.
He was compensated Sh500,000 for his efforts.
He had to take his children to Kisii to stay there once rumours of eviction started to avoid disruption when the time comes.
Naomi Oseko said she has had to start taking down her own house because of the pressure from the government.
“That is the only way we can salvage something from the investments we made. If the bulldozers come, they will destroy everything. I better remove the bricks one by one so I can use them again somewhere else,” Oseko said.
She also said the compensation given to those like her, who had some structures on the land, cannot help them relocate.
She was compensated Sh600,000 for her three-bedroom house after spending more than Sh700,000 to acquire the land, build the house and landscape her compound.
“I don’t know what to do with the money. Should I look for another place to build, take my sons to Form 1 and Junior Secondary School or what?” Oseko said.
The residents say the government has sinister motives with their lands.
Leila Salim, a resident, said they paid development fees but are now being forced out of the lands, angering the residents further.
“We know if the government wants to use your land, they must compensate you with some disturbances allowance,” Salim said.
To make matters worse, those who did not have any development on their lands, including any building or crops, were not even considered for compensation, despite having bought the lands.
“Those are people’s investments. They have in mind that one day they will develop their lands once they get the opportunity. Today, it is being taken away by force. Is that just?” Salim asked.
Samson Mwakideu said they will not move out without proper compensation.
“It hurts us. Land is taken from you without anywhere else to go. The lucky ones who were compensated were given peanuts that cannot buy even a quarter of the land they lost. Where will we go build?” he asked.
He said the only way they will move out of the place is by the bulldozers.
Babela Vasta, a resident, said they are not opposed to the MGR construction but the oppression which the residents are being subjected to.
“The residents have only been compensated for development and not for the land,” Vasta said.
“That means if you bought your land for Sh250,000 and put up a house worth Sh800,000, you will only be compensated for the Sh800,000 house and not the Sh250,000. That is not right.”
He said in the award letter, the money for the land has been designated as zero.
Harun Hussein, a resident, said during valuation, they were told they will be compensated both for the land and any development on it.
“Where has the Sh1.1 billion gone to? What monkey games are they playing?” Hussein said.
The NLC has said it will issue a comprehensive statement after a meeting.
