Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has accused the government of attempting to seize land from residents in Kangemi and Dagoretti under the Nairobi River clean-up program.
Owino claims that while the law permits residents to move 6–10 metres from the river, authorities are pushing people up to 60 metres away, raising questions about the beneficiaries of the extra land. He stressed that affected parcels are ancestral freehold land with deep sentimental value and argued that no compensation is being offered, contrary to legal requirements.
The Nairobi River flows through Dagoretti, Kangemi, and Mountain View before joining the Westlands-Rhapta area. The Ksh50 billion Nairobi River Regeneration and Engineering Works Programme, launched in March by President William Ruto, includes a 60km sewer line, 50,000 affordable housing units, flood mitigation, and ecological restoration.
Owino has called on Westlands and Dagoretti residents to resist the evictions and protect their constitutional property rights, warning against unlawful government action.
