Several Families Spend Night in Cold After Goons Destroy 20 Homes in Mombasa

Several families in Port Reitz, Changamwe, Mombasa County on Thursday, November 28, spent the night in the cold after their houses were destroyed by a private developer.

According to the victims, a group of hired goons reportedly invaded their homes and destroyed more than 20 houses in the contested 1.8-acre piece of land.

While protesting the move, the agonised residents claimed they were not served eviction notices and that the court had yet to intervene in the land dispute.

“I am here and I have children whom I don’t know where to take to spend the rest of the night. I have been suffering since yesterday even cooking has become difficult,” noted one of the residents.

“Since the other day, people have not been sleeping because hired youths have been coming to destroy our homes. People are paid at least Ksh1000 and told to destroy a house and take away the roofing including the iron sheets,” the resident added.

The locals, who lamented the demolitions, questioned the criteria used by the developer to obtain the piece of land. According to them, despite moving to court, the judges were yet to hear their plights.

In the videos seen by Kenyans.co.ke, the affected families were captured watching helplessly as the group of youths demolished the houses while others rushed to salvage their belongings.

Following the incident, the residents called on the government to intervene as they claim several tycoons have been eyeing the piece of land for the last three years. 

The Changamwe demolitions come hardly a fortnight after the government destroyed at least 4o houses in Woodley Estate, Nairobi to pave the way for the construction of affordable houses.

Bulldozers smashed through the fences and flattened houses following the expiry of the eviction notice on November 19. Among the houses that were destroyed include the home of veteran broadcaster Sammy Lui.

The estate, which is located along Joseph Kangethe Road, has been at the centre of controversy for several years with the private owners claiming they bought the land rightfully from the government.

Months before the demolition, Woodley Residents Welfare Society filed a petition in court to block the planned destruction of their homes, however, they lost the case, paving the way for the demolitions.