Squatters win reprieve in city land eviction row

 

The High Court has stopped further evictions until the matter is determined. FILE 

By VINCENT AGOYA

The High Court has granted hundreds of squatters evicted from a 4,000-acre piece of land in Nairobi’s Ruai area a temporary reprieve by declaring the ejection illegal.

Justice Pauline Nyamweya stopped “any further evictions until the matter is determined” after hearing that the demolition on November 18 last year was done without a court order.

A resident died during the eviction.

“The applicants shall not be evicted or their  occupation of  the property be interfered with... in light of the fact that the eviction was carried out without a court order, the respondents clearly brought it (order) against themselves,” Justice Nyamweya said.

The squatters allege that private developers Renton Company Limited and Customs Homes Holdings were intent on taking over the property, which was allocated to them by the defunct City Council of Nairobi in 2001.

Renton, however, is also claiming possession on the strength of title deeds issued five years earlier in 1996.

Justice Nyamweya on Tuesday ordered the parties to be prepared in 21 days for a full hearing whose date will be given by notice.

The squatters’ lawyer, Julius Juma, said they had been unable to get a hearing since September as the two companies were erecting a perimeter wall.