Relief as Sakaja says Njiru houses will not be demolished after talks with Kirima family
By username, December 14, 2023It’s a relief to thousands of people living in the Njiru, Chokaa and Mihang’o areas in Nairobi on -1,000 acres of land owned by late politician Gerishon Kirima after Governor Johnson Sakaja announced that the planned demolitions will not take place.
Speaking during an interview with a local radio station, the county boss said the government is in the process of striking a deal after talks with the family.
According to Sakaja, the deal will enable squatters to buy land in the already occupied space and pay it in instalments.
“The government cannot buy the land but the Kirima family is open for negotiations to enable families to buy the land and pay slowly. Currently, demolitions are not an option,” Sakaja said.
Adding;
” I know there is an order for eviction by December 31, 2023, but we will not allow that. There has to be a better way,” Sakaja noted cautioning against politicising the matter.
The quote was loosely translated from his Swahili verbatim.
In November, the High Court issued interim orders suspending orders to have settlers move out from the property by the end of the year pending the hearing of a suit by over 680 residents led by Joseph Omito.
The judge also urged the residents, the family of Kirima and all parties involved to engage in an out-of-court settlement in a bid to have the dispute resolved expeditiously.