Machakos: Family now living in a thicket after they were kicked out over rent arrears

A father and son are currently living in a thicket at farm in Machakos after they were kicked out of their house over rent arrears

The two have been living in the make-shift shelter for the last 3 months.

Photos seen by Citizen Digital show the make-shift house featuring a polythene roofing held by twigs over a small tattered mattress.

Benjamin Kilonzo has been living with his son who is a Form 2 student ever since his wife left him.

The boy was only 2-years-old.

Kilonzo had been doing menial jobs: casual labor and supplying firewood to hotels and vibandas.

When the new coronavirus struck and hotels were closed down, Kilonzo found himself jobless.

He even attempted to take his son to their rural home in Kangundo so that he could suffer alone.

His brothers however turned him away and put him on a bus back to Machakos.

The family of two was found by the farm owner Catherine Mutuku who was touring her farm.

She initially assumed a mentally-ill person was living in the shelter until she talked to them.

Kilonzo spends most of the cold night awake like a watchman guarding his only son and only relaxes during the day.

The school-boy has not been studying as all books were locked at their former house.

Their former landlord passed away two weeks ago, with their pleas to recover their property falling on deaf ears until the ‘family mourns sufficiently’

They currently have no change of clothes and depend on well-wishers for food.