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Ndeti spoke on Saturday when she hosted the clergy for prayers at her office in Machakos.
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She demanded an immediate stoppage of the demolitions and urged the concerned Government agencies to stop the eviction of the squatters from the said land on humanitarian grounds.
Image: FILE
Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti's address on East African Portland land demolitions was on Saturday characterised by emotions, tears and a display of anger.
Ndeti said she had held a conversation with President William Ruto over the matter and protested the demolitions describing them as inhumane and unfair to the affected residents.
The Governor accused the President of betrayal saying she had held a conversation with him earlier in the day and he promised to stop the demolitions.
According to Wavinya, the President has neglected the downtrodden people he vowed to defend during his campaigns.
Ndeti was so emotional that she even shed tears as she addressed the audience, lamenting that Ruto had forsaken the Kamba community in their hour of need.
"Kama ni kwako mweshimiwa Ruto ungekubali hiyo ifanyike. We cannot allow that. We cannot allow you to bring down churches," Wavinya said amid tears.
"I want to tell His Excellency, that you were talking about bottoms up, you talked about caring about people who are down here. What is happening is that the same people ndo unawaumiza. Why are you doing that?"
The governor's emotional address came after bulldozers descended on dozens of homes on Friday at ‘Aimi ma Lukenya’ settlement scheme in Mavoko Constituency and demolished them in the full glare of owners.
Ndeti termed the demolitions as State brutality and a serious affront to the rights of the affected people.
“It was shocking that Government security agencies proceeded with the demolitions of homes without issuing any notice to the affected people as the law requires. It is particularly disappointing that the process was unnecessarily rushed even though there were ongoing high-level discussions between me and President William Ruto on the matter,” the governor said.
Ndeti spoke on Saturday when she hosted the clergy for prayers at her office in Machakos.
She demanded an immediate stoppage of the demolitions and urged the concerned Government agencies to stop the eviction of the squatters from the said land on humanitarian grounds.
On October 9th 2023, the Environment and Land Court in Machakos struck out a court case that had been filed by ‘Aimi ma Lukenya’, who have been laying claim on the prime land measuring 4,298 acres.
Lady Justice A Nyukuri in her ruling noted that Aimi Ma Likenya had failed to serve their documents to the defendants as ordered by the court.
Ndeti vowed to challenge the High Court ruling. She said the County Government was not involved in the litigation yet it was a key stakeholder in the ownership row.
“I have instructed our lawyers through the office of the County Attorney to have the orders striking out the suit reversed through an appeal. I have also instructed the office of the County Attorney to ensure that the County Government of Machakos is enjoined as an interested party in the suit," Ndeti said.