Sakaja suspends eviction of over 10,000 Mukuru Kwa Ruben residents to allow for talks
The contested 100-acre parcel of land has been at the centre of a dispute between the residents, who have lived in the area for years, and a private developer who insists he holds legal title to the land.
The Nairobi City County Government has halted the planned eviction of over 10,000 residents in Mukuru Kwa Ruben to pave the way for dialogue between the affected community and the private developer claiming the land.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, who arrived at the site on Wednesday just as the eviction was to begin, directed that the exercise be suspended immediately to allow room for peaceful resolution.
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“These are over 10,000 people with families. We must have a dialogue on this matter and come to an amicable solution. It is inhumane to evict them without providing an alternative place to go. We are the government, both county and national, and we can facilitate a solution where both parties win,” Sakaja said.
The contested 100-acre parcel of land has been at the centre of a dispute between the residents, who have lived in the area for years, and a private developer who insists he holds legal title to the land. The developer had already begun preparations for eviction when the governor intervened.
Shock and distress
Many of the residents, most of whom live in semi-permanent structures, expressed shock and distress at the looming displacement. For them, Mukuru kwa Ruben is more than just a place to live.
“Hapa ndiyo hope. Hatujapewa notice, hakuna mahali pa kwenda, na maisha ni ngumu,” (This is where our hope lies. We haven’t been given notice; there’s nowhere to go, and life is already hard), one resident said, voicing the fear and desperation shared by many.
Governor Sakaja assured the community that no eviction would take place without proper engagement and promised that both levels of government would address the matter in a humane and structured manner.
Sakaja also stopped a planned eviction of around 1,000 residents in the Jada Kanguruwe area of Kamarock. The Kenya Power Company had initiated the demolitions, citing encroachment concerns.
“Temporarily, we have stopped the eviction and encouraged dialogue between the two parties. That way, we can reach an amicable solution,” Sakaja said.
Residents in both Mukuru Kwa Ruben and Kamarock can now breathe a sigh of relief, as government efforts are underway to mediate the disputes and seek alternatives to forced evictions.
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