Changamwe demolition victims are still living in deplorable conditions almost one month after their houses were demolished by the National Housing Corporation.
The 18 families are squeezed in two tents at the estate's compound.
On January 6, bulldozers descended on their houses and now they are being tormented by the vagaries of extreme weather conditions in Mombasa.
Some have had to send their children away to live with friends while some have fallen ill due to the adverse weather conditions and mosquitoes at night.
Joyce Wanzia, one of the victims, said three people have to share one mattress to fit in the tents.
She lived in a three-bedroom house and sold solar panels for a living, but all these were destroyed during demolition.
Now, she is jobless, penniless and does not know where to start to rebuild her life.
The solar panel company, however, was kind enough and provided her with a plan to repay the destroyed items.
“We collected the small fragments of mattresses that remained after the demolition and put them together to use them as bedding,” Wanzia said.
She said her children among them a univerity student are yet to report back to school due to lack of money.
Wanzia, like other 17 families, does not have money to relocate.
“During a public participation forum at Ronald Ngala Hall, we were told the government allocated Sh70,000 for each family to relocate but we are yet to see anything,” she said.
Wanzia said they were forced to pave way for the affordable housing programme but she is not sure if she will get a unit owing to the treatment she has been subjected to.
“If it is affordable housing, how is the rent jumping from Sh7,000 to Sh15,000? That is more than double the rent. Is that affordable?” she asked.
NHC had constructed model units in the estate to accommodate those who were evicted.
The two-bedroom units were going for Sh15,000 per month against the Sh7,000 paid in the old houses.
They were in court when the demolition took place.
The guards' toilets they used at the gate were welded three days after the demolition.
They are now forced to answer the short nature calls in the compound around the construction site and use flying toilets at night for long calls..
“We also bathe at the construction site at night when the workers have left,” Wanzia said.
Beatrice Omondi, another victim, said she has stayed at the estate for 21 years.
“This administration promised to protect mama mbogas and boda boda riders, but it is now doing the opposite,” she said.
Since the demolition, Omondi has been experiencing migraines and was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure.
“I never thought I will one day be an IDP. The world has turned upside down for me. I draw strength from my neighbours who are worse off,” she said.
Eunice Masaha, who has lived in the estate from 1983, said if they were rich, they would not be evicted violently.
“We are being treated as rubbish because we do not have money. The units constructed as alternatives are being allocated to those rich,” she said.
Changamwe MCA Bernard Ogutu condemned the demolition.
“These people are still in tents yet the government continues with business without thinking of them,” he said.
The saddest part, the MCA said, is that the houses they were evicted from are yet to be touched.
He said the government promised to give the evictees Sh70,000 as compensation but that has not been effected despite reports that the money has been released.
“There are children who are going to school only to return to the cold tents. This will affect the children’s mental health and not perform well in school,” the MCA said.
He said if things do not change, he will organise a big demonstration to protest against the administrative officers in Changamwe, whom he accused of being the stumbling block in Changamwe.
When contacted, Changamwe DCC Michael Yator said he was in a meeting and will call back later.
He is yet to get back to the Star by the time of going to press.
