State ordered to pay forty Embakasi evictees
Some forty former residents of Maasai village in Embakasi, Nairobi were on Monday awarded Sh150,000 each for wrongful eviction four years ago.
High Court Judge David Majanja said out of 475 petitioners, only the forty were entitled to the reprieve as they signed legal documents for the suit as required of them.
The judge pointed out that the rights of the victims had been violated by the evictions of October 29, 2010 ordered by the Lands and the Internal Security ministries.
Fundamental freedoms
“It is hereby declared that the rights and fundamental freedoms of the occupants of Maasai Village situated along North Airport Road, Embakasi were violated when they were evicted from the said land. The represented persons who have executed the legal authority are awarded each Sh150,000 as damages for the violation,” ruled the judge.
The judge also ordered that the legal costs for the victims be taken care of by the two named ministries and the Attorney General.
The judge said that pleadings must be proved, and this was the reason for his awarding only those who had appended their signatures to case documents and not all of the petitioners.