Africa-Press – Kenya. President William Ruto revealed that he personally intervened to stop demolitions in the sprawling Mukuru Kwa Njenga informal settlement after chaotic scenes and protests erupted earlier in the week.
The demolitions, which began on Tuesday, involved bulldozers and security forces moving into the settlement as residents sought to block the exercise.
Addressing the situation, Ruto said he was disturbed to learn that people had been sent to tear down homes without adequate notice or engagement with affected residents.
“Juzi niliona kuna watu wameenda kubomolea watu pale Mukuru, nikawaambia wasimamishe na wawache ujinga. Mambo ya kubomolea mwananchi nyumba na kutumia nguvu iliisha (loosely translates to: The other day I saw people going to demolish houses in Mukuru, and I told them to stop and leave the ‘nonsense’ alone. Era of demolishing citizens’ houses and using force is over,” he said, urging authorities to stop what he described as a reckless approach.
Ruto emphasised that forced demolitions and the use of force against citizens must end.
Instead, he said the government must work with Kenyans, explain plans, and provide alternative settlement options.
“We have a way that we can work with kenyans and we make them understand, and we give them alternative settlements as we develop our slum areas,” he said.
The high-tension demolitions, linked to an attempted expansion of feeder roads inside the settlement, triggered fierce responses from residents and local leaders.
On January 20, residents clashed with police and tried to block machinery, leading to the use of tear gas by officers trying to control the situation.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja condemned the operation, denying any county government approval had been given for the work.
He said the demolitions were carried out without consultation, proper planning approvals, or respect for residents’ rights.
Sakaja described the ongoing exercise as unlawful and called for compensation for those affected, stressing that County and national authorities must engage communities before such actions proceed.
Mukuru Kwa Njenga, home to hundreds of thousands of low-income residents, has long been at the centre of development debates and resettlement efforts.
Last year, the government made progress in its affordable housing programme there, launching thousands of new housing units to provide safer alternatives to informal structures.
However, many residents still live in densely packed and precarious conditions, and past efforts at relocation and engagement have been uneven.
The recent demolition push came amid long-standing calls by officials to improve infrastructure, address drainage and road access, and formalise housing.
But community leaders and human rights groups have repeatedly warned that aggressive demolition tactics risk displacing vulnerable families without adequate compensation or alternative homes.
