This archive report was first published on 26 August 2021.
On August 23, 2021, a parliamentary committee visited Makima Ward in Embu County to investigate the eviction of residents by Tana and Athi River Development Authority (TARDA).
Residents, who were evicted and their houses demolished in April, narrated their ordeal to the committee. The committee, led by Limuru MP Peter Mwathi, held talks with the Embu County Commissioner and Mbeere South Deputy Commissioner and later held a forum at Kiritiri market where residents made submissions.
Residents, including Raphael Mutinda, a teacher and resident of Ndunguni village, shared their stories with the committee. Mutinda, who settled in the area in 1970, told the committee that they were informed of a plan to build a dam in 1978 and were later evicted by TARDA.
“Early this year, TARDA claimed ownership of the land, and there was an eviction order and many didn’t know where to go having spent more than 50 years here,” Mutinda said.
Paul Nthiwa, another resident, told the committee that he was born in 1972 in Twanyoni area that was affected by the dam. He said that in 2017, TARDA officials came with a summons to appear in court over trespass, and in 2020, they were informed that they had lost the case and people should vacate.
Nthiwa appealed to the government to relocate them or compensate those affected, saying residents still live in fear and some pupils were yet to go back to school.
