Tears and pain as houses brought down in Mavoko, Machakos County

Narrating to The Standard the pain he has gone through, Nguku a father of two says the government should compensate for their plots and buildings.

Another victim of the demolitions is Monicah Kamene. The widow said that she has lost property worth Sh3 million.

"It is unfortunate that I am living in hell in my ancestral land. All that we owned we purchased and we are still being tossed around and living in confusion and threats from the company," said Kamene.

The mother of three said that she has lived in the land for more than four years.

"Now I do not know what to do after my four-storey house was demolished," she said.

The tales of Kamene and Nguku reflect the pain many families are going through after President William Ruto ordered squatters occupying part of East African Portland Cement land in Athi River to vacate.

The president said part of the land belonging to the East African Portland Cement, which has been occupied by squatters will be used to expand the manufacturing zone.

"We are happy that we have been cleared by the court. Those who thought they would benefit by selling out this piece of land should now vacate and go. The government will purchase part of this land and construct more factories there so that our jobless youth benefit,'' said Ruto.

Ruto made the announcement on Friday during a tour of Athi River where he officially opened the Square Pharmaceuticals.

He also ordered the Lands Ministry to revoke titles of land that has not been developed in Athi River for over 10 years.

"I have given clear instructions to the management here that all speculators, people who have held titles to pieces of land for 10 to 30 years without developing them be revoked so that we can give it to people who want to use this facility," Ruto said.

At the heart of the battle is 4,298 acres of the property said to be owned by the cement manufacturing company.

The prime land in question, LRNo 10424, is located along the Mombasa Road, south of Athi River Township in Machakos County.

The land is currently valued at approximately Sh15 million per acre and has for many years, been a tag of war among individuals claiming ownership.

Mavoko MP Patrick Makau confronts police as demolition continues on the land owned by East African Portland Cement company that had been occupied by squatters. [Peterson Githaiga, Standard]

Patrick Makau (Mavoko) Robert Bui, (Kathiani) Steven Mule (Matungulu) Joyce Kamene (Machakos Women Rep) set out to assess damages caused during demolitions.

However, the lawmakers were forced to flee as they were confronted by hundreds of anti-riot police officers.

''You will not have any meeting here, we want everyone out of this place," shouted one of the senior officers commanding the officers.

At one point Makau and his Kathiani counterpart Robert Mbui attempted to confront the officers after being denied access to address their people.

Teargas canisters were lobbed dispersing the crowd that had gathered.

Robert Mbui said: "President is keen on fighting corruption and protecting the rights of the less fortunate. I call upon him to intervene and ensure justice for the poor prevails."

Mule said: "I call upon agencies concerned with land matters to come in first to establish the truth and rot surrounding this piece of land. It is not right and justice to fight a local community leaving harmoniously, Why can't they give them a notice to remove their property peacefully?"