Woodley estate leadership fear for their lives after goons loot, torch homes

Woodley Residents Welfare Society former chairman Sam Gachago (right) and his deputy David Sosah address the Press in Woodley estate, Nairobi. [File, Standard] Leaders of the Woodley Estate Residents Association say they are now living in fear following a spate of violent attacks allegedly carried out by goons acting at the command of Nairobi County Government officials. Sam Gachago, chairman of the Woodley Development Initiative, said his house was raided twice in June by about 100 armed men who looted property and destroyed the structure in what he described as an escalation of intimidation against residents resisting eviction. "They came here entered the house, ripped everything apart. As you can see there are no doors. You can see the ceiling has been really ripped apart. You can see that the tiles on the roof have been destroyed. And they took everything and anything that they could go and sell," Gachago told The Standard. ALSO READ: Woodley home owners turn to police as Sakaja goes silent on evictions According to him, the destruction left him with no option but to flee for safety, because staying there would have been a threat on his life. The association claims the attacks are part of a coordinated scheme to force out residents under the pretext of rent arrears. Gachago insisted that what is playing out is not a matter of rent collection but a grab of the estate's houses. "What happened is that they called us and said that we had rent arrears. And we disputed the rent arrears. And we went to court. And I think they were very annoyed at that. And they decided to come and evict us. And they are using the issue of rent arrears. It is got nothing to do with rent arrears. This is all a house grab," he said. He claimed that the houses previously taken from residents had already been allocated to friends and relatives of senior county officials. Gachago accused the county of ignoring existing court orders that bar the eviction of tenants pending determination of a rent dispute. "One of the basic issues that we told them is that there was a rental waiver given during Governor Sonko's regime which stated that people would not pay any rent arrears and would start paying from the 1st of May 2019. That is what actually should be happening. But the county government say that is not so," said Gachago. Adding: "that is why we went to court. And that is how we managed to obtain a court order maintaining the status quo which the county government flouted. And even when they received the orders, they called them pieces of paper and continued to harass us and evict us like animals." The leadership of the estate said the evictions have been marked by violence, arson, and collusion with senior county officials. "There was a case of deliberate arson in my neighbour's compound where a fire broke out because the individual residing in that house had been targeted for eviction. This dangerous act demonstrates a terrifying escalation and a complete disregard of human life and safety," he said. The association's treasurer was among those affected, with his house partly torched before a private security firm intervened to put out the blaze. According to Gachago, they fear the attacks are meant to eliminate them and silence opposition to the evictions. READ: Woodley residents up in arms over planned eviction "We are getting very scared because the people doing this, they are not acting like normal people. We are very concerned for our safety," the chairman said. Recalling the murder of Charles Sosah, a former estate leader who was gunned down in 2001, Gachago warned that the current attacks evoked fears of a repeat. "Charles Sosah, was brutally murdered in 2001 because of championing for the rights of the people of Woodley. He was pumped with 18 bullets. Now we are getting very scared," he said. The Woodley leaders alleged that county officials have been colluding with criminal gangs and even some residents who were bribed with promises of multiple houses. "Of grave concern is a collusion of a handful of residents who, after being bribed with promises of multiple houses, are actively working with county officials to frustrate and intimidate their long-term neighbours," claimed Gachago. Gachago, who has lived in the estate for over 50 years, said that the county officials openly stood by as hired goons looted residents' homes. The association has appealed for urgent intervention by the national government, the Inspector General of Police and all relevant security agencies to protect the lives and property of law-abiding citizens. "With the county officials refusing to obey court orders and instead sending goons to invade our homes, we fear for our lives. The question is, will the government wait until someone is killed in the estate before it acts?" said Gachago.

Woodley estate leadership fear for their lives after goons loot, torch homes

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