Sakaja, MCAs agree on new housing policy and tenant reinstatement plan

Nairobi County will overhaul the management of its public housing estates following far-reaching resolutions by the Housing Reconciliatory Committee, a team established under President William Ruto’s directive to address escalating disputes between tenants and the county government.

The Committee, which brings together Governor Johnson Sakaja, ward representatives, and county housing officials, concluded a series of meetings that sought to resolve grievances over illegal evictions, rent arrears, and irregular house allocations, particularly at Woodley Estate.

Among the major outcomes is the decision to develop a County Housing Estate Management Policy that will regulate all processes involving tenant evictions, rent enforcement, allocation, and dispute resolution.

The move is aimed at preventing a repeat of the violent and unlawful evictions previously witnessed in Nairobi’s estates.

“We have agreed that this chaos and mayhem should never be meted out against Nairobians,” the committee said, noting that all future actions will be guided by clear legal and administrative procedures.

The Committee also resolved that all irregular housing allocations be nullified, while tenants who had paid rent but were still evicted will have their tenancy reinstated.

Evicted residents who can resume regular rent payments will also be allowed back.

“Paying of rent is non-negotiable”, the statement emphasised, adding that rent collection will now be done monthly to prevent accumulation of arrears and strengthen revenue generation for county services.

In a significant step toward accountability, the county has scrapped all pending bills that were irregularly imposed on tenants by a former housing chief officer.

The previous rent waiver, issued under the Mike Sonko administration and officially gazetted, has been fully recognised by Governor Sakaja and will apply to all county estate tenants without discrimination.

The reconciliation process also included a verification exercise where affected tenants were allowed to correct errors in their rent records with proof of payment. The Committee confirmed that several accounts had been updated accordingly.

Additionally, 22 Woodley Estate residents who missed compensation after losing a court case will now receive new allotment letters for apartments. The committee said its inclusion is meant to ensure fairness and closure for all affected residents.

Governor Sakaja is expected to implement administrative changes in the housing department, including replacing the current chief officer.

MCAs in the committee said they will only accept a new officer who respects residents and elected leaders.

The county government will also withdraw a long-running appeal case filed against Woodley residents, with both the developer and county agreeing to drop all cost claims.

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This decision, the Committee said, marks a crucial step in rebuilding trust between the county and residents after years of legal wrangles.

A new arrangement was also reached for tenant purchasers - those who had previously bought county houses.

They will return their title deeds to the county in exchange for allotment letters for new apartments, while the money they had paid will be credited as rent. Any arrears owed will be waived, considering the decades that have passed since the payments were made.

Meanwhile, tenants whose household goods were confiscated during the evictions will have their items returned. The Committee confirmed that two such cases have already been submitted to the county’s revenue office for follow-up.

The Committee pledged to continue engaging all parties to ensure that Nairobi’s housing sector is run fairly, transparently, and in line with public interest.