Area residents sift through debris at the site of a demolished house in Nairobi's Woodley Estate.
Residents of Woodley Estate in Nairobi are seeking urgent police protection following alleged harassment and illegal evictions by groups of unidentified individuals.
Through their lawyers, Frank Karanja & Co Advocates, the residents have written to Nairobi Regional Police Commander George Seda requesting immediate intervention.
In a video shared by one of the victims, a group of men is seen forcefully entering a home and vandalising property as the tenant flees for safety.
The residents claim the evictions—ongoing since May and June 2025—have been discriminatory, targeting specific tenants despite their decades-long occupancy.
“Earlier this year, a dispute arose between our clients and the county government concerning rent arrears. These arrears were waived under Gazette Notice No. 2728 Vol. CXXIII-No.55, which remains in force,” reads part of a letter dated July 11, 2025.
Area residents sift through debris at the site of a demolished house in Nairobi's Woodley Estate.
Despite High Court orders halting any evictions until the matter is resolved, the residents allege that the directives have been repeatedly ignored.
“Our clients have reported multiple incidents, orchestrated by the county, in which county-enabled goons have forcibly entered their homes—leading to theft and destruction of property,” the letter to Commander Seda states.
The tenants also claim that valuables have been destroyed during these alleged invasions.
“Our clients, through their officials, instituted judicial review proceedings seeking enforcement of the Gazette Notice and reconciliation of rent accounts. However, these legal directives have not been respected,” the letter continues.
The residents accuse County Chief Officer for Housing Lydia Mathia of ignoring their grievances, despite ongoing reports of intimidation, theft and threats from individuals claiming to have been allocated the same houses.
Last Wednesday, Woodley MCA Davidson DNG Ngibuini raised the matter on the floor of the County Assembly seeking answers from the County Executive Committee Member for Environment and Urban Planning.
Intimidation of tenants
“Are the remaining 22 tenants who went to court to challenge the demolitions going to be compensated or relocated, and will they receive allotment letters like the others?” Mr Ngibuini asked.
He also demanded to know whether the county had mechanisms in place to investigate and punish individuals behind unauthorised evictions or intimidation of tenants—particularly those issuing threats without formal county authority.
In response, Ms Mathia denied the claims of forced evictions, insisting that the county had no active eviction operation in the area.
“Those are mere allegations. Maybe the residents saw new tenants moving in and mistook them for goons. This is county property, and we have ongoing plans to redevelop parts of the estate for affordable housing,” she told the Daily Nation by phone.
However, the Woodley Residents Association Chairperson Sam Gachago claimed that tension in the estate escalated after the county shifted its plans—from redeveloping 10 acres to targeting the estate’s entire 100 acres.
Woodley Residents Association Chairperson Sam Gachago.
“Initially, 10 acres were earmarked for affordable housing, affecting 22 bungalows and 20 flats—42 tenants in total. About 20 accepted the county's Sh900,000 compensation. The remaining 22 are still appealing for payment,” Mr Gachago said.
The county had promised each affected tenant Sh15,000 per month for 36 months, totaling Sh900,000. However, some tenants rejected the offer, citing inflation, delayed construction, and lack of clarity on their relocation.
In defense, the county claimed that many of the affected residents had been living rent-free for years, despite repeated reminders to pay rent to support estate services.
But the tenants maintain that former Governor Mike Sonko issued a rent waiver in April 2019, which the current administration has ignored.
“We request that the waiver by Sonko be respected, and any rent arrears considered only from May 2019. The county should engage us in good faith to resolve the arrears, not use them as grounds for eviction,” said the residents through their chairperson.
