Shauri Moyo residents struggle to pick themselves up after demolitions

Over the last few weeks, Shauri Moyo residents have watched in pain and anguish as structures they once called their homes were demolished by government bulldozers.

President William Ruto, owing to the floods witnessed in the country, ordered residents to evacuate riparian lands and other areas mapped as flood-risky and Shauri Moyo was not spared.

Residents were ordered to vacate or be forcefully evicted, with the latter coming at a heavy cost.

Zam Zam Omar, born and raised at Shauri Moyo in the Pumwani ward within the Kamukunji constituency has seen her entire life turned upside down with the demolitions not only destroying her home but also erasing a lifetime of memories and hard work.

“For years, I worked tirelessly to acquire this piece of land and built houses that sustained me and my seven children. Now, I don’t even know where to start,” Zam Zam lamented when speaking to the Eastleigh Voice. 

Zam Zam Omar sits outside her demolished home in Shauri Moyo, Nairobi on Monday, May 27, 2024. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)

Having invested millions to build a stable and secure environment, she was confident that her structures at Blue Gate Estate were safe.

“I’ve lost over 2 million. I built good houses that never got affected by floods. We were on higher ground,” she added. 

Confused and heartbroken, Omar shares that the demolition left her with nothing to salvage, taking away her livelihood and personal belongings. Residents scrambled for her property and she helplessly watched as they walked away. 

“It is incredibly painful to watch people grab and walk away with my things, not caring that we are already in need and have nowhere to go.”

Doris Gatweri, a resident of Blue Gate, shares Omar’s anguish saying that the demolition caught her off-guard as she was at work. Her family returned home to stare at the ruins of what they usually called a home. 

She could not believe her eyes, as her investment was turned into a pile of broken stone and bricks. The rubble broke her heart as reality sank in.

“We’ve been sleeping outside because of the demolition. It happened while we were at work, so we lost everything. Our children have nothing to eat and can’t go to school,” Gatweri lamented. 

She pleaded with the government to intervene and save them as they were confused, stranded and left on their own. 

“The demolition has left us stranded with no direction on where to go or how to survive.”

Some residents have been forced to seek refuge in the demolished buildings, braving the cold night and risking their lives at the same time.

Vincent Otieno Obiero is among those who have declined to leave their homes. He says, “We understand it flooded, but we weren’t affected. Now my family is staying outside. We’ve been sleeping in the demolished building." 

Vincent Otieno Obiero speaks to the Eastleigh Voice on Monday, June 27, 2024. His family sleeps inside the ruins of his demolished house in the Blue Gate estate in Shauri Moyo. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)

His situation is compounded by the fact that he is wearing clothes he had worn on the demolition day when he left for work as everything else was stolen by scavengers. 

“The demolition happened while we were at work, and we only found out through friends that our houses had been destroyed. Now, we don't even know where to begin,” said Vincent who suffered a similar fate to Gatweri. 

Other residents also pointed out that the demolished and police ought to have protected their property rather than leaving it to the hands of rogue elements.

“When we went to work, we came back to nothing—no house, no belongings. It’s very frustrating. People took advantage and stole everything from us,” Patrick Nyabuto a manual labourer in Shauri Moyo decried how the demolition process was carried out. 

Patrick Nyabuto, a manual labourer in Shauri Moyo, on Monday, May 27, 2024 decried how the demolition process was carried out at Blue Gate estate.

“The government should at least provide us with a place to go before carrying out demolitions without any plan. It's very frustrating, especially for those of us living hand to mouth. Where do we even start?” he added.

 The residents of Shauri Moyo are now left hoping for assistance and the opportunity to rebuild their shattered lives. The destruction of homes in different parts has not only left physical scars but emotional ones as well. Families that once thrived are now scattered, trying to piece together their lives from the remnants of what was once their homes.

President William Ruto had pledged to compensate all residents affected by floods with a three-month rent plus a Sh10,000 package. The compensation process is already underway.