The iconic Mama Uhuru House was located along Kangundo Road at Kangundo Road market in Umoja, Nairobi City before it was demolished on Wednesday at 2 am.
The house belonged to relatives of Kenya’s freedom fighter Mwanaisha Bilali popularly known as Mama Uhuru who died on September 9, 2009 and her body was buried at Kariokor cemetery in Nairobi.
The freedom fighter’s grandchildren claim that the plots on which the two–storey building stood was issued to them by former President Uhuru Kenyatta when he was the Minister for Local Government during President Mwai Kibaki’s reign in 2002.
The house had been constructed on Plot No. KCC 127 measuring 50 by 100 metres. Bilali’s grandchildren also claimed ownership of adjacent plots, numbers 126, C35 and C26.
Documents seen by the Star show that the family had been remitting rates to the county government since 2002 when it was the defunct Nairobi City Council and even after devolution took effect.
On November 12, 2019, the freedom fighter’s relatives faced eviction threats by the City Hall.
The late Bilali’s family accused the City Hall of threatening to demolish the same house which they called home.
The family said their grandmother died at the age of 108 years while pursuing justice on the land. She was pursuing a title deed to the 7.5 hectares.
They said the situation worsened after the Nairobi City Government constructed a new market adjacent to the property.
Njiru subcounty security committee officials on November 16, 2020, stormed the then-ongoing construction site on plot number C126 belonging to the same family and arrested Mariamu Bilali, one of the freedom fighter’s granddaughters.
They took Mariamu to Buruburu police station for questioning before her release. No charges were preferred on her and the construction stopped.
The then Njiru deputy county commissioner James Chacha who led the operations ordered the construction works stopped claiming that it hadn’t been approved by relevant authorities.
The family then protested the police operations maintaining that they acquired the parcels legitimately.
Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration on Wednesday made real their threats after bulldozers roared in the night and pulled down the building.
Nairobi County Government acknowledge its involvement in the evictions.
The county's Business and Hustler Opportunities CEC Maureen Njeri said Mama Uhuru and three other buildings at Kangundo Road market were demolished after the expiry of notices issued by the county two years ago.
"The buildings had made full operationalisation and uptake of the market a challenge as they blocked access to the weighbridge and loading zone of the market for trucks," Njeri told the Star on Wednesday.
Njeri said the market was constructed with support from the National Government to ease off the Wakulima Market in CBD.
"The county had issued compensation to the owners. However, they have been hesitant to move to the allocated parcels despite numerous pleas by the County Government," Njeri said.
"This resistance led to the need for eviction and demolition, which was done in a humane and dignified manner. Occupants were allowed to safely evacuate the building and ample security was provided for them alongside their belongings."
The CEC said the county under the leadership of Governor Sakaja remains committed to a city of Order, Dignity, Hope and Opportunities for all.