Kivutha Kibwana urges Sakaja to halt Nairobi evictions
Former Makueni County Governor Kivutha Kibwana has urged Nairobi City County boss Johnson Sakaja to halt the evictions of City Council estate residents over rent arrears.
Taking to his official X account on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, Kibwana stated that he was making the appeal on behalf of the residents of Jamhuri, Kariakor, Woodley, New Ngara, Old Ngara, Buruburu, Harambee, Kariobangi South, Pioneer Outering Road, Uhuru, Jericho and Lumumba estates.
According to the politician-cum-activist, Sakaja should consider meeting the affected residents to agree on a rent arrears payment plan.
“On behalf of Nairobi City Council estates residents at Jamhuri, Kariakor, Woodley, New & Old Ngara, Buruburu & Harambee, Kariobangi South, Pioneer Outering Rd, Uhuru, Jericho & Lumumba, I ask @SakajaJohnson to stop evictions & meet the residents to agree on a rent arrears payment plan,” Kibwana stated.
Eviction of county tenants
About a week ago, the Nairobi County Government launched a major crackdown to recover rent arrears from tenants living in county-owned housing.
Speaking during the launch of the operation on May 10, 2025, Nairobi Housing Chief Officer Lydia Mathia expressed alarm at the scale of default.
She disclosed that tenants in key estates such as Woodley, Kariokor, Uhuru, Ngara, and Harambee collectively owe the county an estimated Ksh200 million.
“It is disturbing that some tenants are paying as little as Ksh.11,000 to Ksh.17,000 for two-bedroom houses with compounds in areas where similar properties fetch over Ksh.50,000 — yet they still refuse to pay even that reduced amount,” Mathia told journalists.
“We have already dispatched our officers and will ensure that every shilling owed is recovered. We urge residents to understand that the government runs on taxes and service payments. When people default, it directly affects the county’s ability to deliver services.”
As the eviction operation kicked off, Woodley Estate residents were left homeless and stranded.
The residents, who argue that they had a court injunction blocking the evictions, blamed the county government for disregarding the orders and forging ahead with the evictions.
The residents were left hopeless, with their belongings thrown out of their houses as the county remained adamant about evicting them.
The same force was applied to the residents in the Kariokor, Old Ngara and New Ngara estates.
