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{
    "id": 1369194,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1369194/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 373,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kathiani, WDM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Robert Mbui",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The House approved that we adjourn the House to discuss this matter of urgent national importance regarding the ongoing demolitions and evictions in Athi River, Machakos County. Since Friday, 13th October 2023, which I will refer to as the dark Friday, up to date, the worst case of demolitions in the history of this country has been taking place in the County of Machakos in the constituency of Mavoko in the area of Athi River. First, my sympathies go to almost 10,000 families that have lost their livelihoods, homes and abodes. Five churches were brought down, and 33 are on notice to be brought down. Most business premises, including three schools and a health facility, have also been brought down. My sympathies notably go to one Mr. Mathenge, a hustler who took a loan to purchase land. He went to the point of trying to confirm whether that land was legitimate. That is only done when you go to the land registry and confirm that the people purporting to sell the land to him were genuine landowners. He took a loan and invested his money. He went to an architect and a civil engineer and got architectural and structural drawings. He also sought the county government's approval to construct his house. All this was granted. Based on that, he took a loan and built a house. It is not even ten years since that house was built. It has been brought down. What remains is rubble. It is important to note that Mr. Mathenge continues to pay the Housing Levy every month from his salary. It is a tragedy. My sympathies go to those families whose houses were brought down on that first night and so, the children woke up the next day and had no school to go to. It is unfortunate. Also, families had nowhere to live because the destruction started in the evening, and people were thrown out by morning. Children spent the night out in the cold. Mothers with small children were out in the cold. Fathers had no answers for their families. It is a major tragedy. I want to condemn, in the strongest terms possible, those who gave the instructions for the demolitions to take place. It is very unfortunate that 60 years after Independence, people can be hoodwinked to buy land, process titles, get connected to the national electricity grid, road networks put up and water supplied in that area by the county government, and all those suddenly came down. I also want to condemn the police who were sent there in huge numbers. It was very unfortunate that I also went there as a local leader to go and condole with the families and see how we could help the children who spent the night out in the cold. Whether I provided them with blankets or bought them a cup of tea, we were chased like dogs. It is unfortunate. The history of that land is such that this is our ancestral land. It is our heritage - the heritage of the people of Machakos. The land was given to the East African Portland Cement (EAPC). They did not purchase it. The reason that East Portland Cement was given that land was simply because that area was rich in minerals that are used in the production of cement. So, they were given that land for purposes of mining so that they could process cement. And that was the main business of East African Portland Cement. Notably, the East African Portland Cement Company has run into billions of debts due to their poor management of the business; a business that was once a monopoly of cement The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}