Mukuru Kwa Njenga Residents Protest Outside Westlands Offices

Normal business operations at Westlands in Nairobi were disrupted temporarily on Wednesday, September 20 as Mukuru kwa Njenga residents held demonstrations at the Western Heights building.

One of the residents who spoke to Viral Tea revealed that they demonstrated against a move by Orbit Chemicals Industries Limited to take possession of land in the Nairobi City slum and auction the residence.

Outside the office, the residents were seen carrying placards pleading with the Nairobi County government under Johnson Sakaja and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to intervene as well as banners showing the list of residences targeted by an auctioneering company which has offices at Western Heights.

The residents claimed that Orbit Chemicals, which handles industrial chemicals such as soap and detergent as well as fertilizers and agrochemicals, did not give a valid reason as to why they were evicting them, claiming that the land in question was government-owned and not under the ownership of the firm.

Mukuru Kwa Njenga residents protesting over land auctioning and house demolitions by Orbit Chemicals at Western Heights on September 20, 2023. /MARVIN CHEGE.VIRALTEAKE

“Njenga family owned the land since 1946 which Njenga the son inherited in 1958. From 1958 till 1984, several developments have been established in the land by both the government and the World Bank. The residence is a government land yet Orbit claims the ownership. We want our land back and end of demolitions. We have suffered enough,” a resident at Mkuru kwa Njenga was quoted by The Star.

“I have resided in this land since 1974 and Orbit Chemicals began their claims in 1986. We have been here longer than the company that claims to own this land. Now we have been left residing in tents."

Another protester claimed that Mukuru kwa Njenga residents have spent nights away from their homes and that Orbit Chemicals had been using the auctioneers to demolish and auction the land.

“I and my family have been left without any shelter. We have been sleeping in tents since November 2021 and nobody wants to listen to us. We plead with the government to help us get our land back,” the resident complained.

Orbit Chemicals on August 15, 2023, obtained reprieve after a Nairobi court dismissed an application challenging its ownership of two properties situated in the residential area through a public auction.

In the case, six business persons moved to court seeking to have Orbit stopped from claiming authority over the two disputed properties. The ruling by Justice Edward Wabwoto cleared the way for Orbit to sell the properties.

The businessmen argued that they bought the parcels of land from the Kware Mukuru Kwa Njenga Association between 2001 and 2009, adding that they developed the area by putting up multi-storey buildings comprising commercial and residential units.

In its response, Orbit Chemicals argued that the court had confirmed ownership of the land and held that the plaintiffs had no case, further dismissing the businessmen's claims and arguing that it owned all the buildings erected in the said properties.

In its ruling, the court noted that the issue of ownership had been dealt with by another court.

“Court will refrain itself from pronouncing themselves and or issuing orders in matters which have been dealt with by another court of the same jurisdiction,” ruled the Judge.

On the issue of conservatory orders, the court noted that the application by the two businessmen lacked merit and therefore dismissed it.

The National Bank of Kenya in 1985 invited bidders to tender for land in Nairobi, among them being Orbit Chemicals who submitted their bids for the Mukuru land.

Orbit Chemicals bought the land but the residents disputed the land registration leading to court cases spanning 38 years.

In March 2022, a number of semi-permanent houses were being demolished, drawing the ire of more than 27,000 residents who claimed that they had lived on the property since 1958 and, therefore, should not be subjected to evictions.

Demolitions at Mukuru Kwa Njenga slums, Nairobi on Sunday, October 10, 2021. /STANDARD DIGITAL