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NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Nairobian

Thousands face eviction in Eldoret as state eyes more land for housing

Rift Valley

By Peter Ochieng | Jan 20, 2025

**President William Ruto commissioning affordable housing project at Pioneer Estate in Eldoret in January 9, 2023.** [File, Standard]

At least 5,000 families living in various estates in Eldoret City are facing eviction as the government’s affordable housing takes shape.

Affected residents said that they have received a 90-day notice to vacate their residences to pave the way for the Kenya Kwanza pet projects.

They said government authorities have informed them that more than 5,000 families living in prime properties targeted in the affordable housing projects will be evicted.

According to notices seen by The Standard, the targeted estates are situated along the busy Eldoret-Webuye-Malaba highway.

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Elderly residents opposed the move, claiming that they had lived in the parcels of land for over 70 years.

Uasin Gishu County government through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which issued the notice said the affected families have until April 12 to vacate their houses.

The notice signed by the County Chief Officer for Housing and Urban Development Julius Koech was recently addressed to residents who have lived in, Tom Mboya, Kuria, W.C.C Kilimani, and Kamanda estates for decades.

The notice, dated January 13, 2025, reads in part: As per the lease agreement, you are hereby given three months (90 days) Notice to vacate the houses with effect from January to April 12, 2025 to pave the way for implementation of Kidiwa 2 affordable housing project.

Most families living in the defunct Eldoret municipal council houses are employees of the regional government with a few from the national government as well as other residents who are given accommodation by the staff.

The affected families have appealed to the concerned authorities to delay the impending demolition of their houses, terming the notice too short for them to look for an alternative place to relocate.

Residents of Pioneer Estate in Eldoret count loses following a demolition by the Uasin Gishu County government. Area Governor Jonathan Bii said the demolition exercise was done to pave way for the construction of the government affordable houses which was officially commissioned by President William Ruto on January 3, 2024. [File, Standard]

An official from the Uasin Gishu County, who did not want his name mentioned for fear of victimization, expressed fear that her earning would be crippled by the high rent she would encounter outside the estate in case they are moved out forcibly.

She claimed that her house is about Sh3000 and that she used to pay Sh2000 per month in her current two-bedroomed housing unit in Kamade estate.

“Is this the government we voted for, They promised us good health and other essential goodies but have now turned on us just as if we do not belong to this country. Imagine, I have two in high school and three in primary and my salary cannot afford to move to estates like Langas, Huruma, or Kapsoya estates where small houses small ones are over Sh 7000,” said the employee.

The other two employees of the national government who are also victims asked the government to sympathise with them by giving them enough time to settle saying they had spent everything on school fees.

“We are not against the government’s development, we are asking the county government to pave the way for us so that we can prepare our children until December to enable our children to perform in the awaited national KCPE examinations.

By Monday afternoon, ownership of the parcels of land earmarked for the housing project remained unclear.

Our efforts to reach CECM Housing and Urban Development and the officer in charge at the county level were fruitless as both of them responded in text messages that they were away in other serious meetings outside the town.