At least 30 families have been left homeless after their homes were demolished under unclear circumstances on Kwa Munyeti Farm in Mavoko, Athi River.
A group of unidentified individuals, accompanied by a contingent of armed police officers, reportedly stormed the area at 4 a.m., catching residents off guard. The victims recounted harrowing experiences of being forced out of their homes before bulldozers arrived to reduce their properties to rubble.
Innocent Masesi, one of the affected homeowners, described the terror of being awakened by a loud bang at his gate. “I heard a loud bang at my gate and a man shouting that it was the police. By the time I opened the door, my perimeter wall had already been reduced to rubble. I began screaming, asking for a minute to save my children, and hurriedly woke my family members before we rushed outside. This was when I realized other homes in my neighborhood had already been flattened. I watched in pain as my house was being demolished while my young children cried,” Masesi recalled. His home, valued at Ksh5.2 million, had been financed through a bank loan, intensifying the emotional and financial blow of the demolition.
Residents, who claim they received no prior eviction notice, are now left helpless and counting their losses. School-going children, forced to endure the chilly morning air, have been left traumatized by the ordeal.
According to the displaced families, the individuals responsible for the demolition did not identify themselves, and any attempts to question their actions were met with hostility. “I was not able to salvage any household items. The bulldozer operator mercilessly smashed the items one by one; when I tried questioning who facilitated the demolitions, I was slapped by one of the officers who warned that any attempt to talk would be met by severe punishment,” said Joseph Musyoki, another victim of the demolition.
The victims condemned the incident, calling it inhumane and illegal, and insisted that they had acquired the land through legal means. Previously, the residents had been involved in a land dispute with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), which claims ownership of the land. However, it remains unclear who orchestrated the demolitions.
Land disputes are common in Mavoko Subcounty due to its proximity to Nairobi, the presence of land brokers, undeveloped plots, and the high demand for land.
