Mai Mahiu: Locals protest as plan to rebuild homes halted under unclear circumstances

The woes facing victims of the Mai Mahiu dam disaster that left over 60 dead have deepened after the State barred two charitable organizations from rebuilding houses for the families.

In unclear circumstances, the government has stopped the organisations from constructing 14 houses for some of the families.

The move has sparked anger from the victims who have been living in rental houses nine months after the incident occurred leaving a trail of death, pain, losses and suffering.

Last month, it emerged that the government and land owners had differed over the cost of land in the area paralyzing the planned Ksh. 250 million resettlement.

According to Job Okello, the regional coordinator representing one of the organisations that was to build houses, they had been directed to first seek permission from the Ministry of Interior before starting the works.

He said that after the incident, the charitable organization sought assistance from other organizations to support those hardest hit by the floods.

Shamsher Girani, represanting another foundation that was to build houses, said that they were ready to construct the first phase of the houses.

He said that the contractors were ready to start the work after the first beneficiaries were identified through the local elders and government officers.

A victim, Bernard Ndung’u, who lost his two sons to the floods, said, "We wonder why the government is stopping the donors from assisting us yet wea re the rightful owners of the land."

On his part Reverend Stephen Mwaura who lost three members of his family told of the pain and suffering that they were undergoing as they waited for the promised resettlement.

Another victim Rose Wanjiru said that they legally owned the land and were in darkness as some other victims had returned back to the land and reconstructed their houses.

A senior government officer who declined to be named confirmed that there were orders to stop any construction until an assessment exercise was carried out in the affected area.