The Ugly Side of Forced Evictions in Mukuru Kwa Njenga

By Nyasani Mbaka

Three people have been reported dead while two others sustained serious injuries following an execution of a forced eviction plan. The Mukuru Kwa Njenga residents were sought to be evicted by a private developer on whose 15 acre parcel of land the people were living in.

The dead included a woman who was shot dead, while another was electrocuted while on the run to save her belongings from the bulldozers and a seven year old soul was lost in the melee after a stampede ensued when law enforcers started to fire at the charging crowd, who only wanted to save their belongings from the earthmovers.

This begs the question,” Did did the administration police have to use lethal force to the extent of shooting dead an innocent woman?”

It is absurd that the only assurance that the police are investigating the matter and would soon find out where the bullet came from. “We are investigating the matter. We want top know where the bullet came from,” said Nairobi Police boss Moses Ombati.

The affected residents were caught unawares because at the time of the evictions most of them had reported to work. The Mukuru Kwa Njenga residents had not been issued by an eviction notice by the said private developer either through leaflets or through the media. The residents have so far demanded an end to the evictions.

Embakasi Mp Ferdinand Waititu is raffled up by the police when he tried to stop the eviction

Mukuru residents speak to the Media on their predicament

Also affected by the evictions were former residents of Kiang’ombe slums who until last year had faced the same fate. When will the government realize that forced evictions are not permanent solution to slum control?

Jane Weru, the Executive Director who spoke at the scene of the demolitions termed the incident as unfortunate and a deliberate disregard of the law. Mean while Prime Minister, Raila Odinga has issued a statement calling to an end to planned evictions country wide.