By Rawlings Otieno and Cyrus Ombati
Bulldozers tore down several buildings near Moi Air Base in Eastleigh, Nairobi, in the ongoing demolitions to reclaim public land.
The demolitions mostly target public land near airports.
Several flats housing about 200 police officers in Eastleigh are marked for demolition. The officers have been living there for the last five years.
The demolition started early on Tuesday morning under heavy guard from the army and police even as locals protested the move.
Residents of Eastleigh Section Three watch as a bulldozer knocks down a highrise building. Several houses said to have been built on public land were demolished yesterday. Photos: Jonah Onyango/Standard |
Panic and grief filled the air as hundreds of residents raced frantically to salvage their property.
The bulldozers arrived at the site with a battalion of police and army officers armed with swagger sticks and rifles to stop any riots.
The uniformed officers surrounded the buildings as marauding youth engaged the residents in cheeky-cat- and-mouse games. The residents complained that the youth looted the few belongings that they salvaged.
No senior official was on the ground to explain, but those who spoke on condition of anonymity said they were under instructions to pull down all structures near the Moi Air Base.
Julius Mwangi, one of the landlords whose house was demolished, said he had not been given notice over the intended demolition and threatened to take legal action.
The police officers, however, maintained that the house owners had been informed that their houses had been marked for demolition.
The tenants threatened to take the landlords to court and seek compensation for their property and wastage of time.
"We have to sue the landlords and be compensated," said John Inyangala.
Security threat
Police explained the structures along Section Three, which include flats, pose a security danger to the airport compounded by the war against Al Shabaab.
"I believe they were all notified of the demolitions a year ago, but the landlords did not inform tenants. We are under instructions to ensure this operation is not disrupted," said an officer.
The exercise follows other demolitions targeting structures near airports, which the Government says lie on public land.
The exercise in Eastleigh left hundreds homeless. The heavy rains and the traffic snarl-ups experienced early in the morning compounded their misery.
David Oyoo said he was on his way to work having left his wife to attend to the children going to school only to be called ten minutes later that the bulldozers had arrived.
He claimed that some police officers beat up women and ordered them to remove their belongings from the building.
"Some women were beaten and harassed. What was the hurry for, we would have moved quietly and peacefully without anyone getting hurt," said Oyoo.
Samia Mohamed was shocked beyond words and termed the exercise inhuman.
"We do not know where we will go because it seems no one respects the law. We must be protected," shouted Mohamed as she hurriedly went to pick up her belongings.
Shanties demolished
On Saturday, several shanties were demolished in Mitumba slums near Wilson Airport as part of the operation to clear structures situated next to airports and vital installations.
About 3,000 people were living in the slum established in the early 1980s. The slum bordered he Nairobi National Park in the south, Parkview estate in the east and South C estate in the west.
The Eastleigh demolition is the latest after Kyang’ombe, KPA slums, Syokimau and the Embakasi manyattas were razed. Early last month, kiosks near Eastleigh were again brought down by the military.
