Fear has once again engulfed residents at the Mukuru kwa Njenga over Monday night demolitions.
A number of semi-permanent houses were demolished by unknown people.
Last week, the government was given a green light after the Environment and Lands Court dismissed a case seeking to block Mukuru kwa Njenga residents from being evicted, and their houses demolished.
More than 27,000 residents claimed that they have lived on the property since 1958, therefore, should not be subjected to evictions.
The residents were also opposed to the government’s plan to build Catherine Ndereba Road in the area.
They also claimed that they were not consulted and were not involved in the design process.
However, In his judgement, Justice Oguttu Mboya found that there was no evidence that they had lived on the land since 1958.
He also discovered that the case filed by a section of slum dwellers, city politician Irshadali Sumra alongside 11 others, had no merit as there cannot be another title issued parallel to that held by Orbit Chemicals Limited.
Mukuru kwa Njenga has been faced with demolitions for the past eight months.
Since October last year, hundreds of residents were left agonising over their next move after the government started demolishing their houses to pave way for a vital city link road.
Those living on road reserves were asked to vacate for the expansion of Catherine Ndereba Road.
It will link the area to the Nairobi Expressway.
However, it appears the demolitions went beyond.
As a result, at least 14 junior police officers were summoned in January to record statements over the demolitions at Mukuru kwa Njenga slums on December 27,2021.
The officers were among security agents involved in an operation by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services to bring down houses in the slum for road expansion.
In the process, some officials expanded the demolition area in a land grab scheme.
In August 2017, the Nairobi City County officially declared Mukuru as a Special Planning Area, stopping any further development for two years until a Mukuru Integrated Development Plan is produced.
The declaration stopped development in the almost 650 acres area.
Mukuru people do not have access to basic essential services at an affordable cost.
