Several families have been left homeless after being forcibly evicted from land owned by the National Social Security Fund Staff Pension Scheme in Mavoko, Machakos County.
On Friday, the affected individuals were displaced from LR No: 14750/37 (formerly Land Reference Number 14750/8-25) located in Katani, Mlolongo Division, Athi River Subcounty. Early that morning, bulldozers demolished various structures, including houses and fences, that had been built on the land.
Special unit officers from the National Police Service were stationed on the site during the demolitions, though local police have denied any involvement. According to a police source, the evictions were carried out based on a court order issued on November 30, 2023, by a Mavoko Magistrate’s Court.
The order, given in case MCELC/E140/2023 before Senior Principal Magistrate Beatrice Ojoo, was in favor of the NSSF Staff Pension Scheme, which had successfully sued four individuals. The court had directed the defendants to vacate the land within thirty days, but they failed to comply, leading to the forced eviction.
“A permanent order of injunction restraining the defendants whether by themselves, agents and/or servants, or whoever is acting on their behalf from interfering with the plaintiff’s possession, occupation of the property known as land reference number 14750/37) originally Land Reference Number 14750/8 – 25),” the order seen by the Star reads in part.
The court declared the defendants as trespassers on the suit land and ordered the OCS, Athi River police station, to ensure compliance of the order.
“That the defendants do vacate the suit land within 30 days from the date hereof failing which the plaintiff shall be at liberty to cause their eviction from the suit land,” Magistrate Ojoo ruled.
“Upon execution of the above, a permanent injunction is hereby issued restraining the defendants by themselves, their employees, agents, assigns or any persons acting for and under them from entering, trespassing, cultivating and or in any way whatsoever interfering with the land parcel.”
The demolitions come barely a year after hundreds of residents lost their homes and other property when bulldozers evicted them from East African Portland Cement Company land in Athi River, Machakos county.
