- The land located in the Gikumari area straddles the Eastern Bypass and Juja Farm and measures approximately 23,000 acres,
- Locals say they have settled for over 40 years after acquiring it from a colonial settler.
Thousands of residents of Ruiru, Kiambu County, have expressed fear of eviction from their land, accusing high-ranking people of eyeing the prime property. https://rb.gy/618f0b
Image: JOHN KAMAU
Thousands of residents of Ruiru, Kiambu County, have expressed fear of eviction from their land, accusing high-ranking people of eyeing the prime property.
The land located in the Gikumari area straddles the Eastern Bypass and Juja Farm and measures approximately 23,000 acres,
Locals say they have settled for over 40 years after acquiring it from a colonial settler.
They are now living in fear after it emerged that some developers are out to disinherit them with threats of forceful eviction.
Speaking while protesting outside St Joseph Catholic Church in Gikumari on Monday, the residents accused high-profile individuals of plotting to forcefully evict them to put up palatial estates on their land.
The furious locals who addressed journalists stated that local authorities from Ruiru fueled their fears after they reportedly openly described their title deeds as fake and that they would be evicted in due course, in a meeting that was held on Sunday.
The meeting that was called by local authorities led by Ruiru Sub-county Deputy County Commissioner Margaret Mbugua to discuss the matter ended in disarray after the aggrieved residents chased the government officers whom they said failed to respond to pertinent questions regarding who was behind their eviction and the motive.
The property owners claimed that the administrator told those who have built on the land would be compensated, but people with undeveloped parcels should not put up anything.
“We are shocked that some powerful individuals are using the local authorities to attempt to evict us. The DCC in the meeting told us that our title deeds were fake and that we would be moved from our land which we have lived for decades. This will only happen over our dead bodies,” said Anthony Maina, one of the residents.
Irked by the sentiments, the residents said they are now living in fear and many are going through psychological trauma as they may soon have nowhere else to call home.
“They have already started construction of an 18-meter wide road heading into our land and this has raised our suspicions as to why this land only, Ruiru Block 4. The threats have left some of our elderly parents in trauma, they can’t even eat,” he said.
Image: JOHN KAMAU
Maina added:
"We are suspicious of the intentions of the local administration and security agents since the contractor and surveyors came on the ground under heavy police guard before a public participation forum for the project was conducted."
Resident Martin Waiharo said that they acquired the land from a British settler in 1976 and they were surprised to be informed by an administrator that their ownership documents were fake.
The residents insisted that the land on which they had built their residential homes was legitimately theirs and had all the requisite documents to back their claim including title deeds issued to them by the government in the 1980s.
“Our land ownership is legitimate. We have been making transactions including securing bank loans using the documents. Again whenever we sell part of the land, the title deeds are usually approved by the Ruiru Sub-county Lands Board which is chaired by the DCC. Does it mean that she has been approving something that is not genuine?" poied Waiharo.
However, contacted, area Deputy County Commissioner Margaret Mbugua said she is not aware of any plans to evict the occupiers and maintained that the government was only opening up roads in the area.
"There are no plans to evict anyone from their land. We are aware that there are cases of multiple allocations but the matter is being handled by the Lands Ministry at an individual level. In the meantime, the government has embarked on building roads which have been in a pathetic situation," said the DCC.
However, according to the residents, no public participation was conducted regarding the road construction project, a claim which Ms Mbugua dismissed as unfounded.
While calling on the government and human rights activists to intervene and help protect them from possible eviction, residents wondered why a developer realised the land in the area after over 40 years, the period most of whom have been living there.