This archive report was first published on 10 May 2020.
On May 10, 2020, Amnesty International expressed concern over the government's handling of the Kariobangi Sewage Estate eviction, where 7,000 families were forcibly removed from their homes in Nairobi.
The eviction, carried out despite a court ruling to suspend the exercise, has left many families without livelihoods and homes.
Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja has formed an ad-hoc Senate committee to investigate the matter and provide assistance to those affected.
Meanwhile, President Uhuru Kenyatta has been advocating for affordable housing as part of his 'Big Four' development agenda, with a target of building 400,000 units by 2022.
However, the government's actions in Kariobangi have raised questions about its commitment to affordable housing, particularly given the President's own words on the matter.
At the launch of a housing project in Machakos County, President Kenyatta said, 'This is a happy moment for me. I say so because for the past one and a half years, we have been working diligently to formulate an implementation plan to usher Kenya into an era of affordable and decent housing and, indeed, I see the light at the end of the tunnel.'
Despite these efforts, the government has faced criticism for its handling of the Kariobangi eviction, with Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko stating that he was sure the President was not briefed about the demolitions.
