Teargas fired as police and residents clash over demolitions in Mukuru Kwa Njenga

Tension erupted in Mukuru Kwa Njenga on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, as residents clashed with police over ongoing demolitions linked to a road expansion project.

For the better part of the day, the informal settlement was a scene of chaos, with bulldozers and excavators moving into the area while locals tried to block them.

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Dozens of heavily armed officers were stationed across the settlement, their presence adding to the growing unrest as residents shouted and gestured in protest.

Amid the confrontation, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja later arrived at the scene to intervene and halt the demolitions.

Condemning the exercise, he made it clear that the county government had not authorised the road expansion, faulting unknown agencies for bypassing proper procedures.

Sakaja promises to intervene

“No agency can purport to do work that belongs to the county without sign-off from the county government. We will not have that in Nairobi,” Sakaja said, stressing that evictions and demolitions, where unavoidable, must be carried out with dignity, proper consultation, and adequate notice to affected residents.

The governor further reassured locals that the county would intervene to resolve the impasse and ensure that those displaced were compensated.

“This is completely wrong, and I really apologise to the people here. The day we agree on access points, we will agree on compensation,” he said, noting that the county had already recorded the households affected.

Sakaja also highlighted the long-standing occupation of the contested area, questioning why demolition teams were forcing people off land that did not require expansion.

He called for transparency and accountability, emphasising that no infrastructure project should move forward without the involvement of the county’s planning committee, chief officers, and relevant authorities.

“Development cannot be done using force. People must be engaged and informed before any action is taken,” Sakaja said, urging agencies to respect proper procedures in all future projects. His intervention brought a temporary pause to the demolitions, offering residents hope that upcoming development would be carried out lawfully and humanely.

This comes days after property belonging to Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi was demolished behind Nyayo Stadium.