Over 100 families in Makande, Mombasa County, have been forcibly evicted from their homes over several issues, including providing space for the government’s Affordable Housing project and outstanding tax arrears.
The families revealed that they were ambushed in the early hours of Thursday, 30 January, by the OCS, the police, and rogue youths who broke the doors of the houses and forced them to vacate the homes they had lived in for more than two decades.
According to residents, they suspect malice behind their eviction, as efforts to obtain a clear reason for the eviction resulted in a variety of conflicting explanations.
The residents explained that one of the reasons for the eviction was their failure to pay tax arrears over the past year. However, they argue that the only outstanding arrears were from the COVID-19 period, which they had agreed to pay in instalments.
Household goods left outside after a recent eviction in Kenya.
Amnesty International
“The problem is that we were neither issued a notice nor a court order to vacate this place. It’s true, we have areas, but we agreed with the agent on a payment method. Some that are evicted don’t owe anything, others pay via cooperation but now, all of us are being evicted,” David Amkowa, the estate’s chairman narrated.
According to the chairman, they suspected a hidden agenda because apart from the arrears, they had been told that the houses were allegedly sold so they had to move out.
Additionally, there was also the issue of the Kenya Kwanza Housing Project where the chairman alleged that they were forcefully evicted to give room for the construction of the affordable houses.
Some of the residents revealed that they have lived in the houses for over 40 years and are now stranded, not knowing where to go.
“I’ve been living here since 1984, I have lived and worked with Posta for 35 years now. We don’t have anywhere else to go, and they didn’t give us an eviction notice,” another resident lamented.
The families have been paying a rent of KSh 6,100, but they cannot afford to pay KSh 36,000 as stipulated by the alleged Affordable Housing project.
The residents are now pleading with President William Ruto to intervene and help them, as local authorities, including the Deputy Governor, have stated that the matter is beyond their control.
This is not the first time Kenyans have been evicted, and houses demolished to make way for the Affordable Housing project. In November, residents of Kiambiu, Nairobi, also protested plans for eviction to make space for the new homes.
President William Ruto and former DP Rigathi Gachagua laid the stone for the building of affordable houses in Nanyuki on January 10, 2024.
William Ruto