This archive report was first published on 8 May 2020.
On May 4, 2020, the lives of over 5,000 residents in Nairobi's Kariobangi North were turned upside down when the government demolished their homes to reclaim land for sewerage expansion.
Residents, who had been living in the area for close to 12 years, claimed they had been given inadequate notice to vacate the public land. They refuted claims that they had been given adequate time to relocate, citing the Covid-19 pandemic as a major obstacle.
According to the residents, they had allotment letters for the land and were awaiting the processing of title deeds. However, their hopes of securing permanent residence were dashed when the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company carried out the demolitions.
The move has been widely condemned, with a section of Senators led by Johnson Sakaja demanding compensation for the affected families.
Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja stated, "It is completely incomprehensible as to why a government would be in a rush to render thousands of families homeless at such a time when the country is facing a pandemic and citizens are being urged to stay at home. The government is contravening its own guidelines."
