This archive report was first published on 18 May 2020.
On Monday, a Senate committee meeting to assess the recent evictions of city residents in Kariobangi and Ruai failed to take place due to the absence of three Cabinet Secretaries and the Director General of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services, Major General Mohammed Badi.
Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja had requested a ministerial statement from the Ministries of Interior and Coordination of Government, Water and Sanitation, and Lands and Physical Planning over demolitions carried out in Kariobangi North and Ruai, which left dozens of families homeless.
According to Senate Lands Committee Chairperson Mwangi Githiomi, the Cabinet Secretaries Fred Matiangi (Interior), Sicily Kariuki (Water and Sanitation), and Faridah Karoney (Lands and Physical Planning) had asked for a postponement to gather more information.
“The CSs told me there is important information they are looking for and after that we can arrange for another meeting next week,” Githiomi said.
The demolitions in Kariobangi North and Ruai have sparked widespread anger among the public and human rights defenders, who term the actions by the State as ill-timed given the COVID-19 pandemic situation.
Photos of stranded and frustrated residents whose houses were demolished were widely circulated on social media over the weekend, with many questioning why the demolitions had to take place without considering COVID-19 containment measures.
