Hundreds left homeless as houses demolished in Dunga Unuse slums in Mombasa

One person was injured and several others arrested when armed police officers raided Dunga Unuse slums in Mombasa County on Tuesday in fresh evictions that brought down a church and more than 50 houses.

The officers armed with teargas, sniffer dogs, firearms and rungus demolished the properties in the wee hours of the morning forcing more than 400 people to sleep in the cold with clear instructions that they were only executing a court order.

Led by the Changamwe Directorate of Criminal Investigations Officer (DCIO) Betty Grace Chepng’eno, the more than 40 Administration Police officers and some youth, who were allegedly hired, destroyed homes of the families in the disputed land said to be owned by influential people in the National Government.

Pastor Samuel Mcharo of Ufunuo Church expressed his shock and dismay that a place of worship could be demolished.

“I am disappointed at the inhumane manner in which they conducted the evictions.

“Everyone must respect a place of worship. We will pray for peace. The church is 10 years old with 200 worshippers,” he said.

THORNY ISSUE

The fresh evictions will re-ignite the thorny land issues in the county as Land and Infrastructure executive secretary Francis Thoya warned of plans to evict more people in the county.

“I warned you that there is a plan and a court order to evict people in this county and Changamwe is among the places. But today you have now witnessed it. The office of the county commissioner is being used to execute the orders,” he claimed.

He asked the residents to stay put and rebuild their structures at the prime plot overlooking the port of Mombasa and which has been at the centre of controversy for close to three years now.

Mr Thoya said the county government will follow the law until justice is served saying he had evidence to back his claims that the county commissioner is being used by tycoons in conducting evictions.

He said there were third parties who have an interest in the land adding that it is unfortunate that poor Kenyans are subjected to evictions time and again without due process of the law being followed.

NOT CONSULTED

Mr Thoya said the county government is responsible for land survey adding that they were not consulted.

He said they will convene a meeting for all the parties to find a solution.

“Until we resolve this issue no one will be evicted.

"On Monday there was a meeting between the county commissioner, Mombasa tycoons and the chairman of the National Land Commission where they deliberated on this land,” he said.

It is estimated that about 5,000 people live in the slums on the five-acre piece of land.

Last week, the county government said it would oppose any move to flush out more than 500 households facing eviction by Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited.

Dunga Unuse Mazunguka, Migadini, Mabuyuni are among the areas targeted for evictions.

On February 5, 2015, the Mombasa High Court ruled a 15-year-old case in favour Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited and gave them a go ahead to repossess the contested land by “removing any structure or person who may refuse to vacate the same”.

Tension has been high in Mombasa following revelations of the intended fresh evictions.