Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has criticised the demolitions of houses in Nyama Villa Estate in Kayole, Nairobi County.
Speaking at Mbooni Constituency in Makueni County on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, where he attended a burial, Gachagua argued that the demolitions were wrongly timed.
He detailed that those who okayed the demolitions could have allowed the families to enjoy Christmas festivities before bringing their houses down.
The former DP explained that he was left disturbed after watching women weep helplessly with nowhere to go as bulldozers reaped through their houses.
Gachagua thus castigated the directive on demolitions insisting that it was executed inhumanely.
While reprimanding those who ordered the demolitions, Gachagua recalled his pre-campaign promise with President William Ruto where they vowed not to oversee demolitions.
“Wamebomolea maskini manyumba sasa watakaa nje. Hii maneno ya kubomolea maskini nyumba yao tumeona pale Nairobi wakina mama wanalia hawana mahali pa kukaa wakati wa Christmas. Si mungengoja ata wakule Christmas kama lazima mubomoe mukuje mwaka ujao (They have demolished houses for the poor now they are staying outside. We have seen there in Nairobi women are crying because they have nowhere to call home during this Christmas period. They could have waited for the Christmas period to end before demolishing the houses if they had to do it),” Gachagua stated.
“Na hii ni mambo tulikuwa tumesema kwa serikali yetu, mambo ya kubomolea watu hatunafanya. Kwa hivyo tunaomba tafadhali, tukuwe na huruma kwa watu maskini na Wakenya wa kawaida, tusiwahangaishe, tuwapatie nafasi pia waishi kama Wakenya (We had promised that we would not carry out demolitions. We request that we show pity to the poor and other ordinary Kenyans, let us not make their lives difficult),” he added.
Government denies responsibility
Gachagua’s sentiments come hours after the national government distanced itself from the demolitions.
In a statement on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura made it clear that the national government did not order the Nyama Villa Estate demolitions.
“It is important to clarify that the government is not involved in the demolitions in any manner. The situation stems from a longstanding land dispute,” Mwaura’s statement read in part.
The Government Spokesman said the matter has been the subject of legal contention for many years, resulting in court orders issued to the residents to vacate the land, after failure to honour an out-of-court agreement.
Mwaura further claimed that a section of the residents did comply and have therefore not been affected by the orders adding that new orders have since been issued by the court.
Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino had also criticised the demolitions claiming that it had left hundreds homeless.
— Spokesperson GoK (@SpokespersonGoK) December 17, 2024
