Scores rendered homeless following demolitions in Mavoko

Machakos

Saturday October 14,2023

KNA by Roselyne Kavoo

Scores of families in Mavoko,Athiriver subcounty have been rendered homeless after their houses built on East Africa Portland Cement were demolished.

The ongoing demolitions that started last evening caught many of the residents off guard as they watched helplessly the bulldozers pulling down homes, churches and schools.

This follows a ruling by the Machakos High Court on Monday that declared East African Portland Cement as the legal owner of the 4,298 acres of land.

The ruling by Justice A.Nyukuri brought to an end a protracted land dispute between the cement company and Aimi ma Lukenya Society that had gone on for close to ten years.

The residents condemned the evictions and called on the government to rescind the decision.

Led by Fredrick Musyoka,the Chairperson Residents Association,the affected families appealed to the government to provide an alternative solution.

Musyoka said the evicted families had bought the land legally and denied any allegations of land grabbing.

"We bought this land,we did proper search and we found the land to be belonging to Aimi ma Lukenya Society," he said.

The chairperson called on local leaders led by Governor Wavinya Ndeti to intervene and save the families from the displacement.

"We took loans, others used pension to build these homes,we have no where to go.We have called this place home for the last ten years,"said Musyoka.

Stephen Wambua another resident faulted the government for not issuing a 21 day notice as required by the law.

"I am completely shocked by the turn of events, we just saw bulldozers pulling down our homes.We salvaged nothing.I wish we would have been given ample time to relocate," noted Wambua.

He called on the president to come to the aid of the hapless families.

"The president had rooted for negotiations in circumstances like these but that has not been the case. Families have been left out in the cold and exposed to wild animals that roam the area,” lamented Wambua.

Reverend Richard Mbundo condemned the manner in which the demolitions were done.

 "They even pulled down churches and schools that could have been used as rescue centres,"said Mbundo.

Courtesy; KNA