Governor Sakaja stops Mukuru evictions, urges dialogue with developer

Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson has stopped the eviction of more than 10,000 residents from Mukuru kwa Njenga, calling for dialogue between the affected community and a private developer who claims ownership of the land.

The eviction was about to start on Tuesday morning when the Governor arrived at the scene and ordered a halt to the operation.

The residents live on a 100-acre parcel of land that the developer says legally belongs to him.

"These are over 10,000 people with families. We must have a dialogue on this matter and come to an amicable solution. It is inhumane to evict them without providing an alternative place to go. We are the government,  both county and national and we can facilitate a solution where both parties win,"  Sakaja said.

The residents, many of whom live in semi-permanent homes, expressed shock and fear over the looming evictions, saying they had not received any notice and had nowhere else to go.

"Hapa ndiyo home. Hatujapewa notice, hakuna mahali pa kwenda, na maisha ni ngumu," said one resident.

(Translation: "This is home. We've not been given an eviction notice. There's nowhere to go and life is tough.")

Sakaja assured the community that both county and national governments would look into their concerns and work towards a humane solution.

In a separate case, the Governor also stopped a planned eviction in the Jada Kanguruwe area of Kamarock, where the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) had planned to evict around 1,000 residents.

"Temporarily, we have stopped the eviction and encouraged dialogue between the two parties. That way, we can reach an amicable solution," he said.

Residents of both Mukuru and Kamarock can now stay in their homes as talks are expected to begin, with the Governor urging all parties involved to resolve the disputes peacefully.