An Open Letter to President Uhuru Kenyatta:A Call to Evictions and Resettlement Law.

Ref: Agenda 4 on Housing, Evictions and Resettlement guidelines.

Greetings Sir. 

As you enjoy your 58th birthday wishes, it's painful to note.

As our children sit for this year National Examination, hundreds of parents are sleeping in the rainy cold weather after they were evicted on Friday 25th, and Kenya Railway Police stationed within those households to-date 30th October 2019 to make sure they don't return to their houses located at Kenya Railways Cooperation - Landi Mawe estate(368 Acres next to Muthurwa 72 Acre estate ) the grouping which is undertaking this eviction are getting directives from KRSRBS-Kenya Railway Staff Retirement Benefit Scheme an outfit disbanded recently for pillage and profiteering scam on railway assets and land. 

The areas being within Starehe Constituency the Member of Parliament Hon. Charles Jagua Kanyi on Sunday secured the release of about 15 people who were evicted and opposed to evictions/ demolitions, among those arrested were women with children and  Kenya Polytechnic students, some tenants and were held at Railways Police Station ,its on this background that we call for government to halt this scam, which jeopardizes the ongoing feasibility studies of Railway City Project which is funded by JICA and European Union, these exercises also violate citizens right to city.

This ongoing evictions which entail Railway Police and hired goons go against the spirit of constitution, under economic and social rights Article 43 (b)which states, that every person has the right to accessible and adequate housing, and to reasonable standards of sanitation. Emphasis on national values and principles of governance and fulfillment of Kenya international obligations, these ongoing evictions go against "The prevention, protection, and assistance to the Internally Displaced persons and affected communities Act 2012".

 It is on this background we also DEMAND the government to urgently intervene as several Primary and Secondary schools students are affected due to this eviction thus contravening the 17 Sustained Development Goals: 

Goal one government to end poverty in all its forms everywhere, Goal four ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life long learning opportunity for all.

The government under goal ten to reduce inequality within and among communities and countries, goal eleven the government make cities and human settlement inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, lastly goal sixteen, state to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustained development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

We, therefore, call on HE. President Uhuru Kenyatta and his government to immediately intervene and halt this inhuman degrading eviction, we DEMAND he also acknowledged and append a signature to the bill on Evictions and Resettlement guidelines 2012.

We petition the Kenya Parliament through its legislative authority under article 94(1),95 (2)and 96(2) to review and amend the HOUSING ACT chapter 117 which commenced on 9th June 1953.

Thank Yours Faithfully.

Githinji Kamotho.

Chairman: Muthurwa Residents Welfare Association.

Cc. Baraza La Taifa.

      East Africa Climate Change Network

Dated this date 31st October,2019.