Armed youths backed by police officers raided the home of AIPCA Archbishop Fredrick Wang’ombe and demolished houses following a court order.
The Tuesday morning eviction in Rwanyambo village, Kinangop, was enforced after the Environmental Court ordered the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa cleric and others out of the disputed land.
Wang'ombe had been fined Sh100,000 with alternative two months in jail for defying a court order to move out of the 22-acre farm.
One of those affected but who declined to be named said they will seek legal redress from the Court of Appeal, terming the judgment flawed.
"We have known this as our only home for years and we shall definitely be appealing against this judgment that has rendered us homeless," he said.
Daniel Wang’ondu said the dispute started in 1985 when the archbishop and other individuals encroached on the land owned by their father. He said they had gone to different courts before the High Court ordered the Wang'ombe and the others to vacate.
During the eviction, a church built by Wang'ombe was spared as the affected families moved in to save their personal belongings. Wang'ondu said they decided not to demolish the church before they engage the faithful on the way forward.
"They first ignored the court order and they were fined Sh100,000 for contempt of court and the police were ordered to provide security for us during the eviction," he said at the scene.
Wang’ondu thanked the Judiciary for delivering justice, noting that they had gone through untold suffering.
“We are grateful that justice has finally been served after years of waiting and we can now move onto our land," he said.
"We had given those on the parcel time to move out all their personal belongings peacefully, but they rejected the offer and we had no other option but to move in."