The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has called out the government over the Monday night demolition of residential houses in Woodley Estate, Nairobi.
In a statement on Wednesday, November 20, acting ODM party leader Prof. Anyang' Nyong'o said that while the idea to create space for the construction of high-density residences is welcome, the manner in which the demolitions were done was inhumane.
"The idea of using the space at Woodley Estate to house more people by constructing apartments is welcome. However, the manner in which the demolitions were conducted in the middle of the night was inhumane and shocking. The better procedure would have been to develop a high-density housing unit elsewhere and facilitate the transfer of Woodley residents there in a humane and well-organized manner," the statement read in part.
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Nyong'o termed the approach that the government used to conduct the demolitions as colonial, adding that it went against the Constitution of Kenya and the United Nations guidelines.
"To go out at night and bring down the houses is a colonial approach that should not happen in Kenya today. The Woodley demolitions are a clear breach of Article 43(1)(b) of the Constitution of Kenya and the UN guidelines on Involuntary Resettlement.
"The ODM party wishes to condemn the demolitions and appeal to the Nairobi County Government not to be Pharisees in the execution of the law but to be humane in serving Kenyans," the statement further read.
At least 43 homes in Woodley Estate were demolished on the night of November 18, 2024, leaving families homeless.
The demolitions followed a court ruling declaring the land acquisition process by private developers illegal.
Residents protested, claiming they were excluded from decision-making and lacked alternative housing solutions.
The Nairobi County Government plans to redevelop the area for modern housing, but many residents expressed outrage over the nighttime demolitions and their abrupt nature.
