Nairobi
Governor Sakaja Johnson on Tuesday morning intervened to stop the eviction of
over 10,000 residents from Mukuru kwa Njenga following a dispute with a private
developer who claims ownership of the 100-acre parcel of land.
The
developer, who had initiated preparations to evict the residents, asserts that
the land is legally his.
However, Governor Sakaja arrived at the scene
just as the eviction was set to begin and called for an immediate halt to the
operation.
“These are over 10,000 people with families. We must have a dialogue on this matter and come to an amicable solution. It is inhumane to evict them without providing an alternative place to go. We are the government — both county and national — and we can facilitate a solution where both parties win,” Sakaja said.
Many of the
affected residents, who have built semi-permanent homes in the area, expressed
distress, saying Mukuru is the only home they’ve ever known.
“Hapa ndiyo
home. Hatujapewa notice, hakuna mahali pa kwenda, na maisha ni ngumu,” said one
resident, lamenting the sudden threat of displacement.
Governor
Sakaja assured the residents that both levels of government would address their
plight and work towards a humane resolution.
In a related
move, the Governor also stopped planned demolitions in the Jada Kanguruwe area
of Kamarock, where the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) had sought to
evict around 1,000 residents.
He urged KPLC to engage the community in
dialogue before taking any further action.
“Temporarily,
we have stopped the eviction and encouraged dialogue between the two parties.
That way, we can reach an amicable solution,” Sakaja stated.
The
residents of the two areas can now breathe a sigh of relief as the Government
is facilitating dialogue.
