Families Left Homeless After Goons Accompanied by Police Demolish Their Houses Overnight
Families from Kwa Munyeti Farm, Mavoko area of Athi River, Machakos County were on Friday left homeless after more than 100 hired goons demolished their homes.
According to reports, the goons were allegedly accompanied by a contingent of armed police officers who blocked the families from protesting.
Tens of uniformed masked armed police officers reportedly harassed the residents, alleging the land belonged to a government agency.
Those who tried to protest were injured in the process and were subsequently forced to seek medical attention at a nearby hospital.
Houses demolished in Kwa Munyeti farm in Mavoko, Athi River, 6 September 2024.
Photo
File
The families speaking to journalists on Saturday stated they had not received prior notice of the demolitions. They, however, revealed that they had been receiving threats from unnamed land cartels in the area.
“A few days ago, we saw unknown people here, they claimed that they had come to demolish the houses but didn’t have the legal documents.”
“They showed up at night while we were sleeping and demolished the houses.” Peter Kasyoki, a victim narrated.
Families lost millions of properties in the unfortunate ordeal.
“I didn’t have much time to save anything and I have lost property worth approximately Ksh5.2 million,” Masese Machoma another victim revealed.
The locals revealed that for a long period, land grabbers and cartels have been conniving with police officers to force them to surrender their valuable land.
The residents have been involved in a land dispute with a government agency that claims ownership of the land.
The angry villagers, armed with a court ruling and ownership paperwork for the 50-acre plot of land, stopped the eviction bid, claiming it violated the rule of law.
Details of who facilitated the demolitions remain scanty. Land disputes are prone in Mavoko due to the area’s proximity to Nairobi with land brokers often eyeing parcels in the area.
Demolitions in Mavoko, Athi River County.
Photo
Kenyans.co.ke
