Relief as 4,000 squatters spared eviction in land row with university
Pwani University Vice Chancellor Professor Mohamed Rajab (left). More than 4,000 families living on a 270-acre plot will not be evicted, the vice chancellor said Wednesday.
What you need to know:
- Fear had gripped the squatters after a Malindi court in a December 2014 judgment listed the plot among properties owned by the university. The ruling also called for eviction of the squatters.
- Prof Rajab said that he would write a consent letter to the court so that a new judgment to exclude part of the block can be made.
More than 4,000 families living on a 270-acre plot will not be evicted, the Pwani University Vice Chancellor said Wednesday.
Professor Mohamed Rajab visited the squatters at Misufini playground in the company of Kibarani Ward Representative Getrude Mbeyu and assured them that they will not be evicted.
However, he said that only a few people occupying university land are affected.
Villages like Misufini, YMCA and Vibandani are built on the disputed land.
EVICTION OF SQUARTTERS
Fear had gripped the squatters after a Malindi court in a December 2014 judgment listed the plot among properties owned by the university. The ruling also called for eviction of the squatters.
“You can sleep well and sound. There is no bulldozer coming to destroy your houses. However, there is part of this block which still belongs to the university but a big part is not our land,” said Prof Rajab amid cheers from the residents.
Prof Rajab said that he would write a consent letter to the court so that a new judgment to exclude part of the block can be made.
“Block 5046/5 does not belong to the university as the judgment indicated,” said Prof Rajab.
Prof Rajab said that two years ago, the university prepared its master plan at a cost of Sh15 million and marked all its land but the plot in question was not included.
Ms Mbeyu asked residents to be patient as she addresses the issue of the consent letter to make sure that they are safe.
