Raila issues statement on Government's nationwide Demolitions

Nairobi, 

Saturday, 6 January, 2024 

McCreadie Andias 

Azimo leader Raila Odinga has called out the government over the property demolitions ongoing on different parts across the country. 

In a statement on social media on Saturday, 6 January, 2024. Odinga condemned the Kenya Kwanza Administration for demolishing residential structures and forcefully evicting residents within offering compensation or alternative resolutions for the victims. 

"The Kenya Kwanza administration seems to have settled on forceful evictions and demolition of settlements as the preferred way of acquiring or settling land disputes." Raila said. 

This comes amidst recent demolitions of properties in Kakamega County, Machakos, Voi, Mombasa, Thika and Mavoko areas. 

At day break today, over 3000 residents of Msambweni in Voi were invaded by a contingent of police officers escorting a demolition squad that has so far brought down several homes on a disputed piece of land.

Odinga further stated that President William Ruto is aware of the ongoing demolitions but has failed to come to the rescue of poor Kenyans who are forced to watch in pain as their homes worth millions are brought to the ground. 

Odinga says that he has taken time to speak to different categories of community leaders in Voi who have assured of their commitment to finding a solution that is acceptable to all parties to the dispute.

According to Odinga, the community had earlier asked the government to compensate them for land acquired by the SGR, to enable them buy alternative settlements but the latter has not happened.

The opposition leader regrets that the demolitions are ongoing in the midst of tough economic times while parents stare at a new academic calender commencing from Monday next week. 

He further says that the leaders at the National and county level have ignored to take action and rather opted to go silent into hiding. 

"Kenyans don’t deserve this amount of cruelty." Raila said. 

"Kenyans have so much burden to carry in the New Year. Losing a home should not be added to their burdens. Government needs to have feelings and empathy for the people.

The times are too tough, the needs too pressing, and the weather too harsh for anyone to lose a home in the hands of the government."Raila added. 

The Azimo leader called on the government to immediately stop the demolitions currently underway in Voi and in any other part of the country. 

Raila rebuked the head of state for not heeding to his promise on a stop to forceful evictions which he campaigned against during the verge of the general elections promising Kenyans that demolitions and forceful evictions will be a thing of the past. 

"We remind Mr. William Ruto that made during the campaigns, he promised that forceful evictions and demolition of dwellings would be a thing of the past.

Ruto promised that where necessary, affected people would be provided with enough notice and compensation promptly paid. Victims of ongoing evictions in Voi and other parts of the country are waiting for these promises to be kept."Raila stated. 

He appealed for the Humanitarian sector and human rights watch dogs to At to move in and help the people of Voi access the basics that they need and pursue justice.