60 families left homeless as squatters’ houses pulled down
Gideon Maundu | Nation
Some of the squatters at Bung’ombe settlement scheme in Mwakirunge village, Kisauni District, inspect the damage after hired youth and police officers demolished their houses on Tuesday. They were ordered to vacate the land for a private developer.
What you need to know:
- Villagers ordered to vacate the 100-acre land, where they had been settled by the government seven years ago
Residents of Mwakirunge in Kisauni District were on Tuesday morning in shock after a group of youth accompanied by police officers moved into their village and started demolishing houses.
The residents were ordered to vacate the 100-acre land, where they were settled by the government seven years ago.
The police and hired youths demolished their houses, leaving several families in the cold.
More than 60 families were ordered to move out of the settlement scheme despite being issued with allotment letters seven years ago.
Allotment letters
The residents, carrying the letters and receipts they were issued by the government, demonstrated in the area asking Lands minister James Orengo to stop the eviction.
They claimed that the officers were ordered by area DC Tom Anjere to evict them, as the land had been bought by a private developer.
“How come the land that was a settlement scheme has today become private land? We want the minister to stop the impunity by the local administrators,” said Mr Benjamin Muhambi.
Mr Muhambi said the residents paid for the allotment letters in 2003 but were yet to be issued with title deeds.
He said they had been asked to move from the area to pave way for the individual to develop the land.
“We want the relevant authorities to stop the eviction since we have evidence there is a plan to grab the land,” said Mr Muhambi.
Ms Fatuma Suleiman said they had been living in the area for more than 20 years before the government gave them allotment letters.
“We are planning to go to court to seek justice if the eviction does not stop,” said Ms Suleiman.
According to the residents, the land was allegedly bought by an Ethiopian.
When contacted, Mr Anjere refuted claims that he had ordered the police to evict the residents.
“I do not know about the eviction. What I know is that police are there on normal patrol,” said the DC.
Settlement scheme
According to documents dated March 2003 presented to the Nation by the residents, the villagers were allocated the land through the Settlement Funds Trustees. The land was to be used for farming.
They each paid between Sh1,500 and Sh3,000 to the Settlement Fund Trustees, depending on the size allocated to facilitate issuance of title deeds. They have not been issued with titles since.
