This archive report was first published on 20 June 2020.
Demolition notices have been issued to building owners in Sagana Town, Kirinyaga County, as Kenya Railways Corporation prepares to rehabilitate the Nairobi-Nanyuki railway line.
According to local leadership, the corporation has earmarked nearly half of Sagana Town for demolition, with residents claiming that Kenya Railways officials and armed policemen went around the town on June 19, marking buildings for flattening and handing out demolition notices.
One of the affected property owners, Muriithi Wachira, told K24 Digital that he was allocated the land in the 1950s by the now-defunct Kirinyaga Municipal Council. He questioned the corporation's intentions, saying, 'Even when the railway line was busy back in the day, our buildings in Sagana Old Town remained intact. Why does Kenya Railways want to conduct illegal demolitions now?'
Wachira and other residents claim to have genuine ownership documents for the buildings and land, and have been paying land rates to the Kirinyaga County Government without defaulting.
Kariti MCA, Joel Wagura, has called on the Kenya Railways Corporation to engage the affected community in consultations before embarking on the demolitions, warning that 'half of Sagana Town will be flattened' if the plans go ahead.
