Badi warns of more evictions on public land

Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director-General Mohammed Badi [David Gichuru, Standard]

People who have build structures on public land face mass evictions by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services.

NMS boss Mohamed Badi yesterday said he was working with other state agencies to reclaim grabbed road reserves and other public land, some of which have been turned into residential areas while others host business ventures.

General Badi disclosed this before Senate Committee on Devolution and Inter-governmental relations, which is investigating forceful evictions in Eastleigh and Pumwani areas.

Houses belonging to doctors and nurses at Pumwani Hospital were demolished following a court order after the ownership of the parcels changed.

Also affected in the forceful evictions were employees of Nairobi City Water and Sewerage company. Yesterday, Mr Badi told the committee chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ that change of ownership was done way before NMS was established, and absolve NMS from the evictions in Eastleigh. 

In the planned demolitions, Badi said it will affect all the 17 sub counties in Nairobi, with Langata Sub County set to be affected the most.