MP Karauri questions how Kirima family acquired 1,000 acres, vows to fight Njiru land eviction

The MP addressed hundreds of families in Kasarani on Wednesday, just days after the Environment and Land Court declared Kirima's family to be the rightful owners of the land and ordered all squatters to vacate by December 31 or face eviction.

MP Karauri, who promised to "fight head on," pointed an accusing finger at the government, accusing it of sitting on the fence while houses and apartments were being built on contested land.

He went on to say that some of the land's occupants had even received permission from government officials to build on it.

"When people were building, the government was there; there is even a group that was sold land by government operatives," Karaui said. 

"If the government duped people at the time, the government now needs to act on this matter."

At the same time, Karauri turned his sights on the Kirima family, questioning how the family came to own such a vast estate in an area where the majority of people are landless.

"Huyu Kirima ni nani, hakuna vile familia moja itasumbua Njiru mzima, sisi tunataka kujua hii shamba yeye alitoa wapi, kama ukweli shamba alipata, alitoa wapi," the legislator added. 

The MP also claimed a land ownership conspiracy, claiming that some land files had mysteriously vanished from the Lands Ministry.

"Naskia file ya hii shamba inapotea Ministry of Lands, unajua hii Kenya iko na mambo mingi sana, inapotea aje?"

He asked the courts to vacate the land ownership judgment if it was proven that the estate was acquired fraudulently.

"Kama hii shamba haikupatikana kwa njia halali, basi hiyo judgment yote itupiliwe mbali," Karauri said. 

The MP also stated that the area residents who are facing eviction are willing to negotiate with the Kirima family, but that the negotiations would not be conducted from a position of weakness.

"Tutashikana na hizi committee zote, na kama ni negotiations zitafanywa ni sawa, lakini we are not negotiating from a point of weakness," he added. 

"Hatutakubali kufinyiliwa, lazima ukweli ujulikane kwa nini mtu mmoja ako na shamba hiii yote na wengine hatuna.

At least 300 people who claimed 80 acres after allegedly living and developing the area for more than 12 years have been ordered to leave by December 31, 2023, or their properties will be demolished.

The majority of them claim Kirima's family never contested their occupancy of the land, and none of them knew who the owner was for the 12 years they lived there.