More than 200 families were left homeless on Sunday after houses at the Changamwe National Housing Estate in Mombasa County were demolished to pave the way for the government’s Affordable Housing Programme.
The demolitions, which began early in the morning, sparked protests from residents who claimed the exercise was carried out despite a court order that had temporarily halted the evictions.
Some of those affected accused the government of disregarding the court process, saying they had expected the demolitions to be suspended until the case before the courts is determined.
“If National Housing is above the law, we should be told. If the police are above the law, we should also be told because it is not possible for a court order to be disregarded,” one resident said.
Residents acknowledged that they had earlier received a one-month eviction notice issued by the national government in collaboration with the county government. However, they maintained that the court order should have stopped the eviction exercise from proceeding.
The operation was conducted under heavy police security, with several residents alleging that officers used teargas to disperse crowds as demolition teams moved in.
Some also claimed they were roughed up during the operation as they tried to salvage their belongings from the affected houses.
Community leaders further claimed that some residents had received KSh4,000 from the government to facilitate their relocation, but argued that the amount was far from enough to secure alternative housing or move their families.
As emotions ran high, some local leaders warned that the demolitions could have political consequences, accusing leaders of failing to stand with affected families.
They urged Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir to intervene, with some threatening to mobilise residents against leaders they feel have ignored their concerns.
The demolitions come at a time when the Affordable Housing Programme has continued to encounter numerous legal battles throughout the country.
Last week, Principal Secretary for Housing Charles Hinga revealed that the government was engaged in the defense of over 85 lawsuits concerning the program.
In his remarks, Hinga indicated that majority of the legal battles surrounding the project are largely concerned with the issue of ownership, lack of title deeds and participation issues of communities or culturally valued land.
This program has also attracted criticism in light of a recently released audit report from Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu. This report highlights that a good number of the major projects under the program have been undertaken on lands lacking title deeds.
The report highlights the danger that not having the ownership papers might place the projects at risk of future litigation problems.
Nonetheless, the government remains adamant in asserting that the program is an integral part of the development process, and its primary concern is providing better access to housing and employment in the construction industry.
For the affected families in Changamwe whose houses were bulldozed, Sunday marked the start of a hard time looking for temporary accommodation pending the conclusion of the current court case.