Evictions from long time owned land by families is now becoming a norm all around the nation. From Kirima land evictors to now Msambweni in Voi, Taita Taveta county.
Thousands of families were left to sleep in the cold from Saturday 6th following demolition of their houses by Sparkles Properties Limited which claims ownership of the piece of land where those families have been living for years.
Some of the residents had gone to work while others were woken up by screams of their neighbors whose houses had been demolished in the early incident. The demolition was being guarded by police.
Residents and the Sparkle Properties Limited, a company which claims ownership of the piece of land have been in court with each party claiming ownership for more than ten years.
Efforts by the governor of Taita taveta County hon Andrew Mwadime Wakujaa and Member of parliament of Voi Abdi Chome to stop the demolition was futile.
They claimed nobody in the ministry of land was picking their calls.
Residents whose houses were demolished claimed they did not receive any notice from the private developer. The residents claim the fifty four acres piece of land belonged to their ancestors since the year 1938.
On the other hand Sparkels properties Limited says it bought the property from Bata Shoe Company with an aim to develop it.
Consequently, Sparkles properties limited filed a suit in the Environment and land in Mombasa seeking to evict the residents who have been settling at the Plot L.R NO. 1956/506 to pave way for development.
Sparkles properties limited claims politicians have been interfering with the negotiation process initiated by the company to the residents who are illegally on the piece of land.
The private developer claims he won court cases several times adding that already the residents have been served with the eviction order.
The directors said politicians have been using youths to interfere with their meetings. The latest meeting was planned two weeks ago but was to be called off due to incitement.
Governor Andrew Mwadime was seen begging the evictors to stop but in no vain. He posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account about the frustrations and termed the evictions as forceful.
“Forceful evictions and demolition of settlements witnessed today at the disputed ancestral land in Msambweni, Voi land is an act of torture, inhumane and historical injustice,” Mwadime posted on X.