The business community along Makueni Road in Kileleshwa, Nairobi, is counting losses after unknown people demolished their property at night, despite an ongoing court case.
According to one of the residents, the demolishers who arrived a few minutes past midnight on Tuesday, July 25, claimed that they were part of the Nairobi County Government.
Reportedly, the unknown people were accompanied by police officers to conduct the demolition, which led to losses totalling millions.
Traders further claimed that they were not notified of the impending demolitions and were, instead, abruptly awakened by the noise made by the heavy machinery.
"They did not give us any notice before the demolition. Officials from the county government came to us in the morning asking for a license which we produced," the resident narrated.
"At least 10 vehicles have been carried away by these people, and property has been destroyed. We have tried to contact our MCA but he is unreachable, the previous MCA has been useful in this case," the resident lamented.
Eyewitnesses alleged that the suspected goons were armed with crude weapons, threatening to assault residents and bar the media from accessing the scene.
However, what astounded them most was that the demolishers' vehicles had concealed number plates making it hard to trace them.
According to the resident, the land in contention was set for the construction of a market or school.
However, the court granted an injunction, permitting the traders to continue their operations pending the determination of a case scheduled for September 6, 2023.
Governor Johnson Sakaja also reportedly promised to protect them as licensed business owners. Nonetheless, after demolition, a mabati fence was erected around the property to deter the residents from developing it.
In a letter dated April 18, 2023, one of the interested parties called upon the county Department of Urban Planning and Development to ensure the illegal structures were removed.
"We wish to kindly request your good offices to remove illegal structures (kiosks and garage) which are on the boundaries of the plot in question.
"Our client would like to develop the property and hence requires all encroachment to be cleared and also for the security of the neighbourhood," read part of the letter.
