Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-07 04:09:53
In the political stronghold of President William Ruto’s Rift Valley, there is a brewing storm as hundreds of families are facing eviction to make way for the government’s Affordable Housing Programme. The affected families are from Trans Nzoia, Nakuru, and Kericho counties, with over 200 families already evicted from Pioneer estate in Uasin Gishu County for the president’s housing project. The families were evicted from houses belonging to the county government, where they had been tenants for over 30 years.
In addition to the evictions in Uasin Gishu County, fresh evictions are now looming in Trans Nzoia, Kericho, and Nakuru counties, as the government moves to repossess public land for the implementation of key development projects. This follows President Ruto’s warning to private developers who have illegally acquired public land to surrender it or face eviction, to facilitate the roll-out of his development agenda in housing, agriculture, and industrialization. President Ruto has ordered the Ministry of Lands and National Government Administration Officials to coordinate the recovery of all illegally occupied public land for government projects.
In Trans Nzoia County, over 5000 residents are facing evictions to pave the way for the construction of affordable houses on 2,700 acres of land belonging to Kenya Prisons, which the government claims was illegally acquired. Senator Allan Chesang, a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) legislator, has opposed the evictions and urged President Ruto to rescind the decision, emphasizing the potential negative impact on residents.
In Kericho County, hundreds of families in Majengo Talai area are facing evictions for the construction of 320 affordable housing units. The National Youth Service (NYS) has already started demolishing some of the structures, which were erected illegally in the area. President Ruto is expected to officially launch the affordable housing project in the county. Kericho County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo, leading a team to inspect the 4.5-acre land, asked families residing in the area to leave ahead of the project’s commencement.
Similarly, in Nakuru County, residents of Nyamaroto slum are facing evictions for the construction of affordable houses. The area residents expressed fear and uncertainty as reports of repossessing the land they have called home for years surfaced.
However, the implementation of the affordable housing projects faces potential challenges such as land grabbing, land disputes, and lack of title deeds for government land. Resolving these issues will be crucial to ensure the successful implementation of President Ruto’s ambitious development agenda for housing in Kenya.
Overall, the government’s move to repossess public land for affordable housing projects has sparked controversy and opposition from affected residents and local legislators. The evictions and construction projects are expected to have significant social and economic repercussions, making it essential to address the concerns and needs of the affected communities.
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