Kakamega County government is set to join the Law Society of Kenya as an interested party in seeking legal action to compensate Families whose houses have been demolished at the Milimani Estate.
Kakamega County Governor Fernandes Barasa condemned the demolition, noting that his government was not consulted or informed despite the area falling under the Kakamega Municipality.
Speaking after visiting the demolition site, Governor Barasa said the demolition was done in an inhumane manner, leaving families homeless, with property destroyed and others looted.
“There is a lot that is going on here that is against the constitution and we must respect that. The Constitution provides for a lot of interdependence and distinction; we are distinct, we don’t belong to the national government as far as Kakamega county is concerned.”
On her part, the daughter-in-law to the First Mayor of Kakamega, Josphine Magoti, called on the county governor to help them seek compensation as she decried the demolition, claiming billions of money had been lost.
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She said they have lived in the house built in 1969 for 25 years, with her in-laws having lived there for more than 50 years.
Further, she said that over 40 people stormed their home on Friday night clad in hoodies and masks, armed with pangas, and backed up with heavy police presence, forcing them out of their house.
According to Capital News, another affected resident, Philip Odongo, said he has retired after working for the government for 35 years and lived at Milimani estate for the past 30 years, where he was allocated land at the county council plot through the provincial plot allocation committee.
He is worried that, although his house has not been demolished, it might be the next on the line after his neighbor’s was brought down a few days ago.
Western Regional Commissioner Irungu Macharia maintained that the leasehold of most of those at Milimani estate expired while some presented documents of ownership that were acquired illegally.
