KURA in Bitter Exchange With Amnesty International Over Kibera Demolitions

At a time families in Kibera are undergoing untold anguish and despair following the demolition of their homes, the authorities are engaging lobby groups in distasteful online exchanges.

The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and human rights group Amnesty International have openly clashed over July 23, 2018, early morning demolitions meant to pave way for the construction of a linking road.

KURA and Amnesty International went into a lousy twitter spat after they appeared disagreeing on the number of people and families displaced by the project.

[caption caption="Amnesty International Country director Houghton Irungu in Kibera (PHOTO/COURTESY)"][/caption]

In a statement on Monday, Amnesty International  through its Country Executive Director Houghton Irungu castigated government pulling down homes “under armed guards.“

“The demolitions and forceful evictions betray the agreement reached between Kenya Urban Roads Authority, the Kenya National Human Rights Authority and the National Lands Commission to undertake a Rapid Action Plan (RAP)” stated the organization.

KURA rose to an outright self-defense denying having ignored the agreement with the entities.

Amnesty also claimed that the displacement would render at least 30,000 people homeless, a position that did not go well with the authority.

“Kindly note that the Rapid Action Plan was completed on Friday and that only 2000 households occupying a space of 10 acres out of 600 acres are affected. Stop lying for fundraising's sake!” rebuffed KURA in a tweet seen by Kenyans.co.ke.

[caption caption="Part of the road-projects' way where structured were pulled down on Monday(PHOTO/COURTESY)"][/caption]

In a quick rejoinder, Amnesty distanced itself from defending the affected families for the sake of humanitarian aid.

“Get to know us. We don't raise money off your actions or lack of. Perhaps we could also recommend a course on polite public communications. #Respect,” held the body in a reply to KURA.

The urban roads authority is on a mission to build the proposed Sh2bn Ngong Road-Kibera-Kung'u Karumba-Langata link road.

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