Over 300 families in Starehe to lose homes as demolition set for Tuesday

Over 300 families in Starehe to lose homes as demolition set for Tuesday

Close to 360 families in Starehe who reside in government housing units are facing eviction to pave way for a housing upgrading project.

Earlier on Monday, Kenya Power disconnected electricity in all the housing units that are more than 80 years old.

Residents however claim that the demolition that is to take place on Tuesday is in bad faith.

“I had a meeting with the Ombudsman and it was chaired by Madam Florence Kajuju and the Housing Secretary Patrick Bucha. We agreed in that meeting that Bucha would go and consult with his senior that these school going children wapewe around 3-4 months wamalize masomo halafu other things zifanyike baadaye,” said Adam Katana, Chairman of the Starehe Residents Association.

Mr. Katana claimed that the government’s recent move will have an adverse effect on the residents most of whom are civil servants in the lower cadre.

“Hawa ni support staff. Wanafagia ofisi, wanatengenezea wakubwa chai na ni drivers. House allowance yao ni Ksh. 3,500 ama Ksh. 3,000. Hizi nyumba zimekuwa zikiwasaidia kwa sababu ziko karibu na town. Sasa ukimuhamisha huyu aende Kamulu ama Rongai ndio apate nyumba ama aende Mukuru kwa Njenga, the way watafacilitate hawa watoto wakuje wafanye mitihani hapa inakuwa ni ngumu,” he lamented.

Schola Mwendwa has a child who has been living with disability for the last 25 years and who depends on her for mobility.

According to Schola, the planned eviction will exacerbate her child’s needs for close monitoring.

“Kama ni kuenda tutaenda lakini itakuwa vigumu. Nitaadhirika kwa sababu huyu mtoto huwa nampeleka clinic na hakuna plot anaweza kuingia kwa sababu akienda kwa stairs ataanguka na hawezi baki peke yake,” she told Citizen TV.

Debra Yon is a Class 8 pupil at Our Lady of Mercy Girls Primary School, Shauri Moyo.

She said: “Mimi naomba waturudishie stima na wangoje tukae hadi April tufanye KCPE exam halafu tukishafanya tukamaliza ndio sasa tupelekwe kwingine.”

Another resident, Anne Wafula, added: “Tutatoka, sio kwa kupenda kwetu, ni vile sisi hatuna mshahara mzuri na loans zinatuuwa, tunapitia hali ngumu hapa. Sio eti tunakula vizuri ama tunaishi vizuri.”

The Government however remains keen on ensuring the housing upgrade project takes off in January.

This even as the residents remain hopeful for a miracle that the bulldozers will not make their way to Starehe on Tuesday.

 

 

 

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Eviction starehe eviction

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