Terrorism: Eastleigh residents moving out in droves
Eastleigh landlords are a worried lot as many tenants are leaving the area due to insecurity.
Tenants are now moving to Huruma and the neighbouring estates for fear of terrorists who are believed to be using Eastleigh as their hideout.
Inhabited
The county’s commercial hub is mainly inhabited by people of Somali origin but residents from other tribes love it because of its convenience and affordable housing.
Ms Mary Njue, a resident at Eastleigh Phase One said most of her neighbours had moved out for fear of terror attacks.
She said living in the estate was a nightmare especially with the ongoing police swoops to flush out illegal foreigners.
“I don’t feel safe any more when I am walking on the streets. We are forced to carry our IDs everywhere even when going to a shop outside the plot because you never know when the police will come in for inspection,” she said.
Residents complained that they feared for their children who have been subjected to a lot of horror and torment by the shoot outs between police and criminals which have become common in the estate.
“This is affecting our children some of who cannot sleep well at night, that is why many people are moving out,” said Zainabu Athimani from Eastleigh Phase 4.
Police have been conducting door to door inspections in Eastleigh and Pangani estates as well as Majengo slum for the last one month, an operation that is aimed at fighting terrorism in the country.
“We no longer have the freedom as Kenyans of moving in the estate. Instead, we feel as aliens in our own country, the estate is being treated as an island with police suspecting almost everybody,” said businessman Ali Musa.