Group Stones, Damages Excavator Evicting People from Flood-prone Area in Mukuru

There was drama when a group attacked and chased a team of government officials demolishing houses in riparian areas in Mukuru slums, Nairobi.

And a five-year-old boy died after a structure fell on him in the area as the team was demolishing houses there. This angered locals on Sunday who threatened to resist until they were provided with an alternative place to stay.

The group of about 50 approached the multi-agency team demolishing houses and evicting those living near the riparian land in the area on Saturday and ordered them to leave.

The team was accompanied by police officers prompting chaos. The officers shot into the air and used tear gas canisters in vain. Police said they pelted the team with stones and twigs forcing them to retreat.

One excavator was damaged in the chaos. This forced the team to stop their operation.

In the incident that happened on Sunday, locals said the victim was picking their valuables when he was fatally injured in the head.

Tension is mounting in the area with resistance growing. The victims say they want to be given an alternative place to stay as they are being evicted.

This was prompted by ongoing rains and flooding which have killed more than 200 people. In Nairobi, more than 40 people have been killed and dozens displaced.

Reopening of schools has been postponed over the rains. At least 230 people have so far lost their lives due to the ongoing heavy rains and resultant floods across the country.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said Sunday , May 5 that floods had killed an additional nine people in the last 24 hours, 164 others were reportedly injured and 72 were missing.

“A total of 41,526 households have been displaced affecting approximately 212,630 people. 138 camps have been set up across 138 Counties hosting 62,061 people. Approximately 227,238 people have been impacted by the heavy rains.

Additionally, Kindiki says a total of 1,967 schools have been affected by the floods.

The government says multi-agency teams drawn from the Kenya Defence Forces, National Youth Service, and Humanitarian agencies had already hit the ground running to coordinate rescue efforts and provide essential help to the displaced people.