Gilgil residents forced out of their homes following new wave of demolitions

Residents of Karunga in Gilgil are fleeing their homes with whatever little they can salvage after a fresh wave of demolitions that has left families exposed, confused, and fearing for their safety.

For days now, unknown men, operating at night, have been pulling down structures on the disputed piece of land.

 The most terrifying incident happened on Monday November 10 at around 1 am, says Steve Thiru, a resident, when the group returned and demolished what had been left standing.

 “We are now fearing for our lives after seeing the men on the job being violent with us. They have no regard for us. They just want to intimidate us out of the land,” says Thiru.

 Thiru, like many others, has already abandoned his home after the men came back under the cover of darkness, flattening houses, shops, and partially demolished structures residents had hoped to salvage.

 “Right now, we have already demolished everything ourselves. We are vacating because we don’t know what to do,” he says.

 Additionally, Thiru notes there is a pending case before the Tribunal, with a key hearing set for November 18.

He says residents believe the continued demolitions aim to push them out before the tribunal makes a determination.

 “You can’t stay here with your family. There is no law being used, we are just being forced out,” Thiru says.

 This latest wave comes weeks after the first demolition, where residents were jolted awake at 2 am on November 2, by bulldozers accompanied by armed men and police officers.

 CCTV footage seen by Mtaa Wangu shows a bulldozer tearing through buildings as officers stood by.

A Seventeen-year resident, Joseph Gitonga says about 30 armed men stormed the village and some were armed with knives and crowbars.

 Gitonga says his rental units, worth over Sh 5 million, were flattened. He later learned the demolition order applied to Block 4, while his land lies in Block 9, meaning the wrong parcels were targeted.

 Several residents were injured during that first wave, James Kang’ethe, was stabbed as he tried to stop attackers attempting to rob him during the chaos and elderly Mary Wamuchie, 70, narrowly escaped when stones caved into her bedroom as she was still asleep during the demolition.

 However, Gilgil Sub-County police commander Winston Mwakio says the police have not been involved in the recent demolitions.

 “Police were only present during the first demolition as the court order stated we provide security and that was done through the OCS and his team. We are not aware that there have been other demolitions happening,” Mwakio tells Mtaa Wangu in a phone interview.