By Allan Kisia
Over 100 pastoralist families were forcibly evicted from a disputed land in Athi River, Machakos County.
Police ignored a court order stopping the planned eviction and ejected families from their houses in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
The evictors then set huts and manyattas ablaze as residents watched.
Jeremiah ole Matura said they have been evicted from the piece of land for the third time now.
“They have burned our houses and killed our animals. How do they expect us to survive,” he posed.
Agriculture Syndicate claims to own the land and had obtained orders allowing them to remove settlers from the land in Mavoko Municipal Council.
The company accuses the pastoralists of trespassing and frustrating efforts of transferring the land to the National Housing Corporation.
Adverse possession
But a group led by Timonah Nkutiti argued that they have lived on the land for more than 12 years.
Through lawyer Lucas Naikuni, the residents argue the land belongs to them by virtue of adverse possession.
The evictions in Athi River come when a Bill is already in Parliament outlining procedures of a forceful ejection.
