Families left homeless as houses worth millions of shillings demolished in Athi-River

MACHAKOS, KENYA: Properties worth millions of shillings were destroyed on Friday after a hired bulldozer flattened houses said to have been constructed in a disputed parcel of land at Athi River, Machakos County.

The demolition of more than 200 houses at the land previously owned by a cement manufacturing company, comes barely hours before a Machakos court ordered that no more destruction should take place.

A court order by Justice O .Angote indicated that the on-going demolitions and eviction of people should be stopped forthwith.

The court also ordered that Athi River Police boss Shama Wario should appear in court on Monday to explain the basis of the alleged demolitions at the said parcel of land.

The 13,000-acre piece of land in Athi River has been at the center of a long-running dispute, with fears that powerful individuals want to grab it despite several court orders.

Area residents now claim ownership of the said land alleging that the Government gave it back to the community. EAPCC has been putting up newspaper adverts warning the public against buying the plots under parcels numbers 8784/4, 10424, 10425 and 7815/1 which are allegedly being sold for Sh500,000 for an eighth an acre.

On Friday, residents of Ndaama Athi River farm spent night in the cold after they were evicted from their homes and their houses demolished. Residents alleged that during the eviction, hired goons were first sent to invade the village past midnight and demolished their homes while armed with machetes and other crude weapons.

This was followed by a bulldozer that flattened all the remaining houses, while armed police officers stood guard. The officers also used teargas canisters to disperse the residents who attempted to block the Nairobi-Mombasa road in protest.

"I am wondering where to start rebuilding my life again. My house has been demolished and I have been left in the cold with my children who can now not go to school,’’ said Mary Nthenya, a resident.

"Our forefathers lived on this piece of land and we are wondering how in a fortnight, a tycoon wants us to leave our inheritance claiming the land is his," she added. Locals have appealed to relevant authorities to intervene and ensure justice prevails.

"We call upon our leaders, the ministry of Lands and all concerned stakeholders to intervene and ensure they get to the root cause of this matter," said Benedict Mweni

Efforts to get a comment from the OCPD over the incident were fruitless.