Former Buxton tenants demand EACC report on Sh6bn housing project
Health & Science
By
Patrick Beja
| Sep 12, 2026
Former Buxton tenants in Mombasa demanded that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) publicly disclose the status of its two-year investigation into the controversial disposal of public land now occupied by the Buxton Affordable Housing Project.
The tenants accused the anti-graft agency of remaining silent as construction continued even as they stayed out of the estate after they were promised new houses.
The former tenants, Haki Yetu and the Jamvi la Ardhi na Makao Mombasa forum, yesterday urged the EACC to release its findings, provide a timeline for concluding the investigation, and explain whether the project complied with the land allocation law.
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"We are asking: What has become of the investigation? What has the commission established? What remains to be done? And when can the affected community and the Kenyan public expect a conclusion?" said Ms Munira Ali of Haki Yetu.
Ali said the group supported the government's affordable housing agenda but insisted that it must not come at the expense of accountability, lawful management of public land, or the rights of communities displaced by such projects.
The dispute traces back to 2021, when 522 Buxton residents were evicted to pave the way for the government-backed affordable housing development.
In 2024, Haki Yetu and former tenants lodged a complaint with the EACC, alleging that the 12.5-acre public land was disposed of through irregular, unlawful, and fraudulent processes.
According to the group, more than two years later, the commission has yet to provide any public update on the investigation's progress or outcome.
Haki Yetu argued that the silence was particularly alarming because construction of the housing project has continued despite unresolved questions surrounding the ownership and allocation of the land.
The organisation also pointed to concerns previously raised by the Auditor-General over the use of public and community land for affordable housing projects without adequate transparency in land records.
Former Buxton Tenants Association chairman Mr Mohamed Mzee said the displaced families have been left in the dark about whether the investigation was still active or has already been concluded.
"We were evicted in 2021 and reported our complaint to the EACC, hoping they would investigate and help us. Until today, we do not know whether the investigation is ongoing or finished because they have never told us the progress," he said.
The former tenants also accused authorities of failing to honour promises that original Buxton estate families would be given priority in the allocation of the new housing units.
Long-time resident Mr Mutua Mutia said many displaced families remain without homes, while wealthier buyers have allegedly benefited from the development.
He questioned why directives from both President William Ruto and the Senate, calling for former tenants to be prioritised, have not been implemented.
The activists further claimed that the redevelopment has deprived Mombasa County of millions of shillings in rental revenue previously generated from Buxton Estate.
They argued that the project has primarily benefited private interests instead of the community that once lived there.
The Buxton Affordable Housing Project is one of Kenya's flagship developments under the national Affordable Housing Programme, a key pillar of the government's housing agenda.