1,000 Diani families homeless as houses flattened
Property worth millions shillings has been destroyed by a private developer at Mbela village in Diani, Kwale county.
More than 1,000 families were forced to sleep in the cold after curfew early Saturday morning as they watched their buildings turned to rubble.
Resident Shaban Luchesi said men wearing what appeared to be police officers' uniforms provided tight security. Police denied involvement.
Msambweni MP Feisal Bader and other leaders condemned the demolition and said they will ensure the residents get justice.
Luchesi said he has lost five modern self-contained houses in the demolition. He said there was no proper notice or court order.
“This is not fair, at least we could have been issued with an eviction notice or alerted in advance,” he said.
Image: SHABAN OAMR
The residents said the land was on lease but they went to court in 2013 and 100 acres were leased to them.
He said the lease was also supposed to end the same year and asked how land could be sold again without the full involvement of the communities.
The residents want the government to explain if expired leased land can be sold again without legal procedures.
Luchesi said the businessperson who now claims ownership allegedly said he wanted to relocate the residents but they refused.
Rashid Mwakoloni who lost a house worth over Sh10 million said he couldn’t save a single thing as the bulldozers took down his building.
He said the house that took him years and a lot of money to erect was destroyed in an instant.
Image: SHABAN OMAR
The residents said even if they were supposed to be evicted, the private developer could have used the right channels.
The residents blamed the county leadership, saying the leaders have been reluctant to solve land injustices.
They want to be compensated, calling upon the national government, rights activists and humanitarian organisations to intervene.
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