How Eastlands ‘mafia’ wield exclusive power to control politics at City Hall

Property owners queue at City Hall cash offices to pay land rates. The county announced a waiver on rates interest. [Samson Wire]

The mention of Eastlands immediately conjures up images of a sprawling and dusty place crawling with criminals and uncouth idlers chewing miraa, smoking weed or speaking heavy sheng while listening to hardcore reggae at the ‘base.’

Eastlando, as it’s famously called, is rarely associated with anything positive, besides being the breeding ground for artists, footballers and other ‘hunger sports’ like boxing.

With its fair share of problems, Eastlands has also produced intellectuals, but who can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Political scientist Mutahi Ngunyi and political communications expert Barrack Muluka are ‘Eastlands damu.’