City Hall defies court order, evicts Woodley residents over rent arrears

The Nairobi County Government on Friday defied a court order stopping evictions of some Woodley Estate residents over rent arrears.

On Friday mid-morning, officers from the Nairobi County Council arrived at Kinangop Road in full force to enforce the eviction notice, only to find most houses empty, as the majority of tenants had vacated.

However, in the quiet neighbourhood that looked desolate, The Saturday Standard observed the remaining few tenants engulfed in hopelessness, as the county lined up six lorries waiting to load the tenants' belongings.

The Saturday Standard observed a single lorry leaving with a water tank, while some household items wrapped in clothing were being moved from one house to another compound—perhaps signalling that a tenant had agreed to vacate.

Goons believed to be from the neighbouring Kibra Estate, and who were hungry for valuables, also trooped in, one group after another, but returned disappointed, as there was little to pick.

• .

  Keep Reading

• 
  Broken promises pile up as public schools struggle without funding
• 
  Freemasons deny Nairobi County's Sh19m unpaid land rates claim
• 
  Nairobi County launches crackdown on land rate, rent defaulters
• 
  Woodley residents up in arms over planned eviction

Several tenants who stood outside their gates declined to speak to the press for fear of “victimisation”.

Some officials of the residents' lobby group, Woodley Residents Welfare Society, who agreed to speak to The Saturday Standard on condition of anonymity, expressed disappointment with the county government, criticising the manner in which the evictions are being conducted.

They accused Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration of disobeying court orders that stopped the evictions.

The document issued by the Milimani Environment and Land Court on May 9, and seen by The Saturday Standard, directed the devolved unit to halt the planned evictions until the matter is fully heard and determined.

The evictions have left many families languishing in a state of confusion, accusing Sakaja’s administration of being inconsiderate.

In a statement on Friday, the association’s secretary, Anita Kimani, maintained that the evictions are illegal and amount to human rights violations.

“Reports and videos show residents being attacked, children and elderly individuals traumatised, and homes violently raided—raising serious concerns about abuse of office and criminal conduct by county officials,” she stated.

According to her, the crisis stems from decades of unresolved housing issues in Woodley Estate, “worsened by policy reversals with every new administration,” which has resulted in “systemic confusion, financial ruin, and a humanitarian crisis.”

“Families are being evicted forcefully by county officers with no legal backing, no alternative housing, and no respect for their dignity or rights under Article 43 of the Constitution,” she said.

Kimani further insisted that the majority of residents are lawful title deed holders or beneficiaries of a 2019 rent waiver legally granted and gazetted by former governor Mike Sonko’s administration.

The association argued that several residents legally purchased their homes from the defunct City Council in the 1990s and were issued title deeds.

“The current county government is now arbitrarily revoking those titles and claiming rent arrears against owners of private property—without refunds or compensation,” said Kimani.