Thika residents evicted despite court order
Children standing next to their belongings after their homes were demolished at Kiganjo estate in Thika town, Kiambu County on June3, 2014. PHOTO/OLIVER MUSEMBI
What you need to know:
- The tenants were thrown out of their rental houses on Tuesday morning
- Ms Maina said the matter was being politicised and the parties have refused arbitration
More than 2,000 residents of Kiganjo Estate in Thika was kicked out of their homes despite a High Court order stopping the eviction.
Area MP Alice Ng’ang’a accused police of trying to execute a 2012 court order which was quashed by a High court ruling delivered on January 20 this year in which Justice P. Nyamweya threw out a preliminary objection raised by the petitioner.
According to an order obtained by the MP, the High Court dismissed the suit by Aberdare Investments on the grounds that it lacked merit.
The tenants were thrown out of their rental houses on Tuesday morning. Police supervised the eviction
Owners of the rental buildings claim they bought the property from Margaret Wangui Kimani, who has since passed away.
Ms Ng’ang’a claimed Kiambu county commissioner Esther Maina and Thika OCPD ordered the eviction in defiance of a court order outlawing the demolition of the over 100 house on the disputed piece of land.
The MP alleged that government officials were safeguarding the interests of the rich.
But Ms Maina denied contravening any court order, saying she sent security to the demolition site to maintain security.
“I am aware of the 6-year old battle for the piece of land which the late Wangui bought the land from an auctioneer and paid 25 per cent of the purchase price and later subdivided and sold it to other people, but died before clearing the balance,” she said.
The County Commissioner said Mr Wango paid the balance and was given a letter of discharge and that was when the matter became contentious leading to a protracted court battle after he demanded Sh50 million from those who had bought the land from the deceased.
Ms Maina said the matter was being politicised and the parties have refused arbitration.
The demolition was stopped after the MP called Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku who instructed the police and about 200 hired youths to leave the area.
Lucy Minja, one of the owners of the houses, said she lost 14 rental rooms which she and her husband built in 2009 after he retired.
