Sakaja under fire over urban regeneration plans

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is under pressure as controversy deepens around the county’s regeneration project, with accusations of poor transparency and sidelining of community stakeholders.

Tensions have escalated between the Nairobi County Government and residents over disputed land linked to the redevelopment of Lumumba, Maringo, and Ofafa Jericho estates, a key part of the urban renewal initiative.

Residents’ associations from the three estates have strongly criticized the county government for allegedly bypassing public engagement processes in its plans to acquire the land for building modern housing units.

They argue that there has been no meaningful consultation with the community.

The matter was brought before the Senate Roads, Transport and Housing Committee, where representatives of the associations claimed that the land’s ownership remains unresolved.

They questioned the rationale behind the county’s decision to proceed with a joint venture for the housing project without first clarifying who holds legal rights to the land.

Agesa Omega, a representative of the Lumumba Residents Association, told the Senate committee that the Nairobi County Government, under Governor Johnson Sakaja, went ahead with an Expression of Interest (EOI) for the project’s implementation without prior engagement with the community.

"The County published the EOI in January 2021, but only invited us to a meeting six months later, in July. By then, it felt like the decision had already been made, and our input was just a formality. We did not endorse the regeneration initiative," Omega stated.

He added that residents of the affected estates had been living under a "rent-to-own" arrangement and described them as victims of longstanding land injustices.

"The land ownership issue must be resolved before we can have any discussions about the housing units," he emphasized.

Residents also accused Governor Sakaja of avoiding dialogue and failing to provide an inclusive platform for resolving the matter.

Onyango Ogutu, Secretary of the Maringo Estate Residents Association, criticized the entire regeneration initiative, pointing out that it lacked the formal approval of the County Assembly, in violation of the County Governments Act.

Appearing before the Senate committee, Onyango Ogutu stated that the Governor’s office had ignored formal correspondence from residents and that the regeneration project in Maringo had bypassed constitutional requirements for public participation.

"The Maringo project lacks County Assembly approval, which in itself is unlawful. Additionally, public participation has not taken place as required, and our letters to the Governor have gone unanswered," Ogutu said.

The committee also heard concerns from Woodley Estate residents, where only a few tenants have reportedly received allotment letters from the county government.

Sam Gachagua, chairperson of the Woodley Residents Welfare Society, condemned the threat of forced evictions and urged Governor Sakaja to meet residents before taking further action.

"There’s been no proper public engagement in Woodley. Some tenants received Sh900,000 in relocation allowances while others were left out. We need an open dialogue with the Governor and his team regarding the looming evictions," Gachagua told the committee.

He also revealed that confusion over land ownership in the estate had led some residents to stop paying rent, believing they owned the homes.

However, a High Court ruling recently nullified any title deeds issued for Woodley properties, affirming that the land belongs to the government.

Gachagua added that a gazette notice issued during Mike Sonko’s tenure had waived rent arrears and directed tenants to resume payments from 2019.

"No one is refusing to pay rent," he insisted.

Jackson Muturi Kimani, Chairperson of the New Pumwani Estate Residents Association, told the Senate committee that redevelopment in the estate began in 2018.

He claimed that while initial plans had promised to preserve existing housing units, those commitments were reversed in 2021.

Kimani noted that a feasibility study, conducted after a two-year period of public participation, had recommended exempting California-New Pumwani from redevelopment.

"After such a lengthy consultative process, it’s dishonest to ignore the findings and push ahead with redevelopment in these areas. We do not support the current plan," he said.

In response to the growing criticism, Governor Sakaja refuted claims that the county had blocked engagement, stating that the administration was open to dialogue.

"What we’re offering is a partnership. The goodwill shown by the County must be met with cooperation. Meetings have already been extended to the residents," he said.

Sakaja insisted that the process was lawful and transparent.

"As landlords, we have the right to manage our properties as long as it's done legally and procedurally. Let’s not perpetuate the narrative that there was no public participation."

He further alleged that some residents were being dissuaded from engaging with the County Government, reiterating that the houses in question remain the property of the county.