Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja on Sunday, May 17 issued a statement to Kenyans.co.ke after coming under fire over perceived inaction following evictions and demolitions of homes by the national government in Ruai and Kariobangi North.
Those who criticized the Senator accused him of not doing enough to defend his constituents, accusing him of merely paying lip service to their needs.
Sakaja has faced the unwanted tag of an elected activist and found himself trending for it, with a section of Kenyans demanding that he use his position to influence real change.
They cited, for example, how Sakaja brokered the deal with the national government and saccos that saw matatu crews on the Kasarani-Mwiki road end a strike over the poor state of the road in January.
Despite the Senator and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) promising that the works would begin immediately, it remains in a sorry state months later.
More recently, evictions in Ruai on Friday, May 15 left more than 100 families homeless, coming barely a week after demolitions in Kariobangi North displaced several more.
Sakaja, however, turned up the heat on the national government, asserting that he has vehemently protested both the Kariobangi North and Ruai demolitions in the Senate.
He accused the government of violating its own guidelines, noting that he would not be distracted as he sought answers over the unfortunate situation.
Sakaja also placed the government on the spot for disregarding court orders meant to protect Kenyans at risk of eviction.
He noted that he had sought a report establishing all the public land in Nairobi, all the planned evictions, and the measures put in place to ensure the process was humane.
"Senator Sakaja has from the onset tabled on the floor of the Senate in protest the of the ongoing demolitions. He has termed the demolitions as inhumane, ill-advised and untimely given the current Covid-19 Pandemic.
"The Senator has called out government agencies that despite court orders they have still gone out with impunity to demolish houses at night leaving the Kenyans they are asking to stay at home without homes!! The government is contravening it’s own guidelines!!" the statement from the Senator's office read.
In the Senate, Sakaja had questioned how the government could spend its resources on evictions following demolitions in Kariobangi North, demanding a statement from the Committee on Lands, Environment and National Resources.
"It is sad to note that despite a court order that was issued stopping the demolitions until the case is heard and determined, government agencies have gone with impunity and evicted 5,000 residents into the cold and rain during Corona.
"It is completely incomprehensible why anybody would be in such a rush to render thousands of families homeless at such a time when we are facing a pandemic and citizens are being urged to stay at home, and the government is contravening its own guidelines by removing the homes where they are supposed to stay in.
"As much as we support the repossession of public land, proper humane methods must be used. Those affected by these demolitions are the most vulnerable in society and deserve protection from the government," he stated.
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