Tenants finally evicted from controversial Woodley land

The National Land Commission of Kenya Chairman Dr. Muhammad Swazuri

NAIROBI, KENYA: Traders in Toi market in Woodley estate are counting their losses after their stalls were demolished on Sunday.

Police lobbed teargas canisters to disperse the agitated business owners in the morning incident.

The evictions follow a court judgement that found the one-and-a-quarter acre plot valued at about Sh100 million belonged to former Marakwet West MP David Sudi, and that the occupants were there illegally.

Kilimani OCPD Michael Muchiri said they were only present to maintain law and order, adding that the evictions were done on a Sunday to avoid a weekday traffic snarl-up in the area because the market is located next to a busy road.

He refuted claims that they were working over the weekend following orders from an influential person in the Government.

“We are public servants and we are on duty whenever we are called upon,” said Mr Muchiri.

National Land Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri wrote to the Inspector General of Police on April 16, asking him to effect court orders to remove the tenants.

“This is to inform you that the matter was decided by the court and it needs to be solved by implementation of the court decree issued by the court of law,” read the letter.

Prof Swazuri had earlier written to Grace Sorora, a businesswoman who had gone to court seeking to be declared the land's rightful owner by adverse possession on the basis that she had occupied the land for more than 12 years.

He told her that it was illegal for her to deprive the rightful owners of their property.

Ms Sorora, the widow of Francis Sorora, lost a 10-year legal battle for ownership of the prime land.