Sudden Demolitions Flatten Nairobi City Park Village

This article was adopted from Lola Chila /YouTube.

Hundreds of residents in Nairobi are spending the night in the cold following the unexpected destruction of their homes. Heavy machinery descended on an informal settlement located near the affluent Muthaiga suburb early Sunday morning, flattening structures and leaving families stranded.

The settlement, known locally as City Park Kanjoroge, sits along the busy highway. The dawn operation caught many families completely off guard as bulldozers began pulling down houses while residents were still asleep.

According to community representatives, the exercise has left over 500 families without shelter. Displaced residents spent the better part of the day rummaging through the debris to salvage their personal belongings, including iron sheets, clothes, and household items.

Tension remained high throughout the day as the affected population protested the manner in which the eviction was executed. Witnesses stated that three excavators arrived at the site accompanied by security personnel and unidentified youth.

The operation quickly turned chaotic as law enforcement officers deployed tear gas to disperse crowds that attempted to block the demolition team. Some residents claimed that the accompanying youth took advantage of the confusion to steal valuable properties.

Jack, the vice chairperson of the Nyumba Kumi (NK) community policing initiative in the area, indicated that the local leadership tried to seek help from mainstream media houses, but received no immediate intervention.

The community expressed deep frustration over the complete lack of communication from government agencies or private developers regarding the land clearance. Many noted that no statutory eviction notices were served before the machinery moved in.

Elderly residents who lived in the village shared that the community had occupied the land for four decades, dating back to 1984. They explained that the property originally belonged to a colonial settler before ownership became contested over the years.

A long-term resident, Kabau Madambi, stated that various individuals had previously laid claim to the parcel, including private developers. He revealed that a man identifying himself as an engineer recently offered a standard payout of KSh 3,000 per family to vacate.

The community rejected the financial offer due to the absence of official documentation or legal notices confirming the eviction order. Following their refusal, several residents were reportedly arrested and taken to Parklands Police Station (PPS) during subsequent altercations.

The flattened village is located just a few meters from Jubilee House, making it highly visible from the main transport corridor. Despite its proximity to major institutions, passersby on the highway could rarely see the vibrant community tucked away in the green valley.

The targeted zone borders the busy City Park Market, which serves thousands of city residents daily. It also lies in close proximity to the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), a major healthcare facility in the capital.

Parents expressed concern over the immediate future of their children, who lost school uniforms and books in the sudden chaos. Many school-going children were unable to attend their classes as their families focused on finding alternative accommodation.

Some displaced families are currently seeking temporary refuge in nearby structures, while others remain on the roadside watching over their salvaged items. Local leaders are calling for an immediate investigation into the ownership dispute surrounding the cleared land parcel.