At least 142 families in estates earmarked for the development of a Sh200 billion housing project in Mombasa will be evicted.
They have already been served with notices to move out ahead of the project, which Land, Housing and Physical Planning Executive Edward Nyale said will start in two weeks’ time.
The tenants live in government houses in Mzizima, Changamwe and Likoni Customs, where the first phase of the project will be.
The county government says 57 families will be evicted from Mzizima near the Kenya Medical Training College, 25 from Likoni Customs and 60 from Changamwe.
SHORTAGE
In an interview with the Nation on Thursday, Mr Nyale said a meeting between the project officials and the tenants to agree on the way forward is scheduled for tomorrow.
“We will meet the residents on Saturday, when we will also agree on the relocation amount, although the process has already begun. We will be holding post-arrangement meetings before the actual work begins,” Mr Nyale said.
In Mzizima, the project will begin with the development of 600 units on 14-storeys instead of the initial 24. This is after a technical survey revealed that the ground in Mzizima can support only 14 floors.
The second phase of the project will see the construction of 15-storey duplexes, 14- and 21-floor apartments in Buxton Estate, Likoni.
In addition, the county will build 12,000 houses in Tudor Mwisho, Tom Mboya, Kaa Chonjo, Khadija and Kizingo estates.
The county has a 380,000-unit deficit, Mr Nyale said.
MONEY
Meanwhile, a showdown appears imminent during the meeting after some tenants in Changamwe refused to receive the relocation notice, saying it goes against an earlier agreement.
“What we agreed is that the notice should come with cheques, but that has not been the case. We will abide by the notice only when everything is done according to the agreement,” Ms Beatrice Opiyo said.
The notice seen by the Nation says the tenants should not move out until they receive their relocation compensation
Most of the houses in the estate are dilapidated.