By Albert Nyakundi
Fear and anger has gripped at least 5,000 residents of Zimmerman Settlement Scheme along Thika Road.
Home owners who have built houses on the contested 250 acre piece of land do not know what to do next.
They are simply praying for a miracle.
The residents want President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene and help them.
On Monday, a bulldozer from the National Youth Service (NYS) arrived and started demolishing the Zimmerman Settlement Scheme Market.
At least 1,300 stalls and the schemes headquarters were demolished.
The land in contention is in Roysambu Constituency, on both sides of Thika road before Githurai 45.
An AP post on the land was spared.
At least 100 police officers from Nairobi region were deployed.
Police Spokesman Charles Owino did not respond to calls or text messages when we sought his comment on the demolition.
Tenants and landlords said there was no court order given to them before the demolitions.
Joseph Maina 42, a land owner and a member of the scheme said he was born and raised in the area.
“My late Father and Grandfather were quarry workers here. I was also a quarry worker. We have lived here since time immemorial,” Maina said.
He said that they own the land by “adverse possession”.
In Kenyan law, adverse possession is where one is declared the owner of a piece of land after having lived on the land for more than 12 years and there is no one claiming ownership.
Maina said they wrote to the lands ministry in the 1990’s and recently NLC claiming ownership of the land.
However, he did not disclose if they have been issued with title deeds or not.
An official at the society, Michael Karanja said the demolition was illegal.
Karanja accused the Deputy Inspector General of police Edward Mbugua and President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Cousin Captain Kung’u Muigai for being behind the demolitions.
“Captain Kung’u has been threatening us with dire consequences using top government officials yet the matter is in court.” Karanja said.
When reached for comment, Captain Kung’u said he was held up in a meeting and that he will respond soon.
However, by the time of going to press, he had not responded.
Residents remained peaceful during the demolition and did not engage the police in running battles.
In the morning, some youths had blocked the busy Thika superhighway before police tear gassed them.
“We cannot sit and watch the Deputy Inspector General oversees the demolition of properties that we built using our hard earned money.” said Karanja.