DNK International By Our Correspondent,Mukuru.
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) has distanced itself from the recent demolitions in Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Nairobi.
This followed a public outrage over alleged road expansion works along Catherine Ndereba Road.
In a letter dated October 27, 2025, the Founder of the Slums Outreach Programme, Eric Ambuche, formally sought clarification from KURA regarding the purported project.
Ambuche requested details on the project financier, accountability mechanisms, timelines, budgetary allocation, and compensation arrangements for affected traders and households.
However, in a response dated November 3, 2025, KURA categorically stated that it has no plans or budget to undertake any works on Catherine Ndereba Road, effectively disowning the demolitions that sparked unrest in the area.
The clarification follows chaotic scenes in Mukuru Kwa Njenga, where bulldozers, escorted by a heavy police contingent drawn from multiple units and clad in anti-riot gear, flattened structures. Several residents were reportedly injured during the confrontation, with calm only returning after the intervention of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
This incident marks the third demolition affecting Mukuru residents in recent years, following similar episodes in October 2021 and May 2025, raising renewed concerns over due process, inter-agency coordination, and the protection of vulnerable communities.
Governor Sakaja stated that, as the custodian of county land, he was unaware of any approved plans for the alleged road expansion.
He pledged immediate humanitarian assistance, including the provision of iron sheets to residents whose structures were destroyed.
The Mukuru demolitions have once again sparked calls for transparency, proper intergovernmental coordination, and strict adherence to the law in urban development projects, particularly in informal settlements where livelihoods and shelter remain highly vulnerable.
[DNK-International@January 24,2026]
