Houses being demolished at Mukuru Kayaba Slum in Nairobi on May 18, 2024 after the government ordered the demolition of structures and buildings illegally constructed on riparian land near rivers.
Residents living near the Nairobi River risk losing property worth millions of shillings following a public notice issued by the Nairobi City County government to declare a 60-meter buffer zone as a special planning area for the construction of affordable housing units.
In a notice dated March 6 and which has now gained fresh scrutiny a month later, the county government’s county executive committee member for Built Environment and Urban planning, Patrick Mbogo, said the request is by the Ministry of Lands to allow for the creation of the Local Physical Development and Land use plan.
The affected are those who have constructed property along the Nairobi River and its tributaries, beginning from Naivasha Road all the way to Ruai.
Residents of Ruai in Nairobi are left homeless after their houses were demolished, on May 16, 2020. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The existing 30-meter riparian boundary will be extended by an extra 30 meters.
The extra 30 meters will be the development area where the housing units will be located.
“The plan will provide a framework for river regeneration, flood hazard mitigation, riparian land use and redevelopment of the land - including infrastructure development and construction of Social and Affordable housing and associated social and physical infrastructure, it will also encompass a financing structure for the development of the special planning area,” read the notice issued by the county government.
The development plans for the buffer zone are carried out by the county government in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development, Nairobi Rivers Commission, National Environmental Management Authority and other relevant stakeholders.
But the plan has already caused jitters among the residents who have accused the government of planning to evict them from their homes without any compensation.
Last week, irate residents of Korogocho slums in Nairobi torched a house belonging to the officials of the Nyumba Kumi initiative and disrupted a meeting organised by the Ministry of Lands regarding the project.
Region Committee office after being torched by the residents at Korogocho on April 1, 2025.
On Wednesday, residents who spoke to Nation.Africa at the Riruta Muslim Village in Dagoretti North said they already have title deeds issued by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2020.
“We already have title deeds to these pieces of land, and we own this legally. We voted for the government because we believed they would assist us as lowly people. All we want is our pieces of land and nothing else,” Ms Regina Njeri, who is one of the victims, said.
A section of the residents also said they are unaware of the programme.
“We just saw them coming here and putting beacons, that is when we got alarmed and sought information on what is going on. This is where our fathers and great-grandfathers were buried, we are not going to move an inch,” Mr David Kata said.
Houses built on riparian land in Mathare, along the Nairobi River, were demolished on May 7.
Mr Mbogo told Nation.Africa that there will be compensation for those who will be affected, and residents are welcome to give their views on the ongoing demolition.
“This was part of the request by the Nairobi River Commission. All those who will be affected will be compensated. We are also going to ensure that any further constructions going forward along the Nairobi river corridors are compliant with the requirements.
People's Liberation Party (PLP) Martha Karua last week faulted the county government and said they would oppose the plan in court and on the streets. They argue that the move is intended to change the political and demographic arrangement of Nairobi.
“We remind the Nairobi City County Government that the conversion of private property into public land is a function of the National Land Commission (NLC). We question why the county government would attempt to usurp the role of the NLC through this illegal and unconstitutional Declaration?” Ms Karua said.
The Nairobi County government has availed maps of the buffer zone at its county offices. It cuts through several sub-counties, including Westlands, Dagoretti North, Dagoretti South, Langata, Kibra, Roysambu, Kasarani, Ruaraka, Embakasi South, Embakasi North, Embakasi Central, Embakasi East, Embakasi West, Makadara, Kamukunji, Starehe, and Mathare.
-Additional Reporting by Jackson Ngari
jmoturi@ke.nationmedia.com
