More than 2,000 residents from the villages of Lilongwe, Mazunguka, Mbuyuni, and Mwangaza in Mombasa are living in fear after receiving eviction notices from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
On Wednesday, February 19, affected residents from Chaani staged protests against EPRA’s directive ordering them to vacate their homes, which are scheduled for demolition on February 26.
The residents have expressed their frustration, saying they have not been provided with a clear compensation plan before being asked to leave.
They also insist that they are not living on pipeline land and, therefore, their homes should not be destroyed.
Ezra Okong’o, the village chairman of Mwangaza, revealed that they received an official notice from Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited (KPRL), stating that they were living on company land and had to vacate.
However, Okong’o clarified that there had never been any land disputes between the residents and KPRL. Instead, the energy body had conflicts with their neighboring communities. The eviction notice came as a complete shock to them.
“The issue was between EPRA and our neighbors, not us. But then, we suddenly received notices and woke up to find X marks on our houses, indicating they were set for demolition.
We were caught off guard, and our biggest concern is that our rights are being violated,” Okong’o stated.
The residents argue that EPRA has no legal authority to evict them since they are not on KPRL land but on land owned by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
“We understand that we don’t have title deeds or official documents proving ownership. However, if KPA were to ask us to leave, we would comply. Our issue is with KPRL since we are not occupying their land, nor are we on the pipeline,” explained Brian Makireti, another resident.
In response to the eviction threat, the affected families have secured a court injunction to halt the demolitions. They are expected to appear in court on Monday, February 24, to challenge the directive legally.
The residents are now urging President William Ruto to step in and offer a solution, emphasizing that they have nowhere else to go. They also pointed out that they have actively supported the government’s key initiatives, such as the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the Affordable Housing Programme.
EPRA’s eviction notices have affected over 300 residents in Mwangaza, 500 in Lilongwe, and more than 1,200 in Mazunguka and Mbuyuni villages.
The notice follows a directive from Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, who vowed to take action against illegal settlers on the five-acre land belonging to the Kenya Pipeline Company.
“This has been a long-standing issue, but I am determined to resolve it once and for all,” Wandayi declared on Thursday, September 27, during a visit to Mombasa.
Join Gen Z official Whatsapp Channel To Stay Updated On time the ongoing situation https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
