The county government of Machakos, in a swift operation, has evicted illegal occupants residing in the houses belonging to the county.
Speaking to the Nation on Thursday, February 4, chief officer in charge of county inspectorate services, Robert Maitha noted that well known political figures such as sitting MCAs were among the tenants evicted.
He noted that the county has been repossessing all public houses from illegal occupants. According to Maitha, some tenants are believed to be part of a cartel and have been using the houses as hideouts to carry out illegal activities.
"The county government followed all necessary mechanisms to have them evicted from the houses," Maitha stated.
He noted that the county will not stop the operation until all illegal occupants and cartels were flushed out.
In a video seen by Kenyans.co.ke, police officers sent by the county government were throwing out personal belongings of the tenants from the houses.
Maitha also indicated that several tenants had been arrested and charged on grounds of illegal activities within the county. The operation in Machakos county government mirrors a similar operation scheduled to be carried out in Nakuru county.
Nakuru county seeks to evict thousands of tenants who reside in defunct Municipal council houses due to rent arrears. Reports indicate that the houses are also perceived to be hideouts of a cartel known as Confirm which is notoriously linked to fake money transactions that con unsuspecting Kenyans.
The county issued a tender notice seeking to hire real estate agents to recover the rent arrears.
"It will no longer be business as usual. The county cannot afford to lose revenue from tenants who have refused to pay for rents yet they continue to occupy the houses and market stalls.
"They will now deal with the real estate agents," a senior housing officer who sought anonymity confirmed the reports.
Furthermore, police officers have been deployed in an effort to flush out the criminal group from swindling the area residents who have in the past decried the situation citing losses of funds worth millions.
