Residents of the Changamwe and Mswambeni areas in Mombasa are counting losses after the government brought down 84 homes to secure land set apart for President William Ruto's affordable houses.
Demolitions took place on Friday, January 26, on the land 57-acre land that was established to belong to National Housing Corporation Land.
Tenants were forced to evacuate as NHC maintained that the land was already earmarked for the first phase of affordable houses in Mombasa.
Bulldozers accompanied by police officers raided the area as the tenants watched their buildings flattened.
Multiple reports alleged that the residents were served with a notice back in 2018, asking them to evacuate the land. However, they sought legal redress in court in a case said to be underway.
The move has since left the residents stranded as some were rendered homeless.
"I see it is not a good move, cause the courts are there to defend people's rights. So here we are vulnerable and displaced as the government maintains its stance," one of the residents complained following the demolitions.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) chief leader, Raila Odinga, visited the affected residents after concluding his tour of the region where he mobilised the locals to register with his party.
ODM stated that Raila decried the inhumane treatment of the people by the Kenya Kwanza administration saying Kenyans deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. The former Prime Minister donated Ksh500,000 to the victims.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir, who accompanied Raila, added that they assessed the effects of the demolition of homes and subsequent displacement of over 3,000 persons.
"We took the opportunity to commiserate with those affected and supported them with some means to temporarily alleviate their suffering as a long-term solution is sought," Nassir stated.
The demolitions were said to have occurred hours after the Court of Appeal halted the deduction of the housing levy pending the termination of a consolidated case field before it.
Following the ruling, the Federation of Kenya Employees also directed its members to stop deducting the money from their employees' payslips.
