Ruto Urges Sakaja to Halt Evictions in Nairobi Estates
President William Ruto has asked Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to stop the ongoing evictions of residents from various estates over unpaid rent.
This comes just a few weeks after the Nairobi County Government launched an aggressive crackdown on tenants who have defaulted on rent payments.
While attending a Sunday church service at the Church of Christ in Africa, located in Makadara, Nairobi, President Ruto made a heartfelt appeal to Governor Sakaja.
He urged him to use the county’s resources to hold peaceful discussions and find amicable solutions with the affected residents, instead of forcefully removing them from their homes.
Ruto emphasized that this approach aligns with the national government’s mission to provide affordable housing for all Kenyans, especially those living in Nairobi.
He stressed that solving the housing crisis requires compassion and collaboration, not harsh actions that worsen the situation for vulnerable families.
Even though the President sympathized with the tenants, he also criticized those who had lived in county-owned houses for years without paying rent.
He questioned the ethics of staying in someone’s property for as long as 15 years without ever making a single payment.
“But honestly, how can someone stay in a house for 15 years and not even pay a single shilling to the owner? That’s not right,” Ruto said. He suggested that residents who owe rent should be allowed to repay in manageable instalments until their debts are cleared.
“Governor Sakaja, I’m asking you to be firm, yes, but let’s also engage with local leaders. We’re not saying these people should be thrown out, but instead let’s work out a payment plan that allows them to settle their dues over time,” the President added.
This comes after a wave of evictions hit Nairobi’s Woodley Estate on May 10. Several families were left homeless and devastated after county officers showed up and forcefully removed them from their homes due to unpaid rent.
The affected residents said they had a court injunction protecting them from eviction, but the county government allegedly ignored the legal orders and proceeded with the exercise.
Many of them, some of whom had lived in the estate for decades, watched in shock and disbelief as their belongings were thrown out.
The evictions were abrupt and unannounced, according to the residents. County officials reportedly showed up early in the morning and forced them out without giving any notice or time to prepare.
For many, these houses had been their only homes for years, making the sudden eviction even more painful.
Meanwhile, inside sources at City Hall revealed that the county’s revenue team, led by Receiver of Revenue Tiras Njoroge, had already intensified efforts to recover unpaid rent.
Njoroge stated that the eviction campaign would continue throughout June, as part of a larger plan to raise over Ksh10 billion in outstanding rent and rates.
According to Njoroge, the funds collected through this operation are critical to transforming the city and improving service delivery to Nairobi residents.
The county government sees this as a necessary step in addressing long-standing financial challenges and revitalizing Nairobi’s infrastructure.
However, with the President now urging a more compassionate approach, the focus may shift toward finding a balance between revenue collection and protecting vulnerable residents from harsh evictions.
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