The aftermath of demolitions in Athi River, Machakos County on Saturday, April 12 /2025.Hundreds of Mavoko residents in Athi River, Machakos County, are staring at fresh evictions after the Kenya Meat Commission’s management on Wednesday issued a ‘notice to vacate’ order.
The Commission’s management in the vacation order stamped by the institution’s Managing Commissioner and dated May 7, 2025, indicated that the said residents have 14 days to willfully move out of the property, Land LR NO: 10281 Athi River.
The notice comes several months after a court in Machakos in July 2024 ruled in KMC’s favour in a land dispute, said land, in which it was battling its ownership with an individual.
The commission quoted the case’s outcomes in the notice as it justified its decision and intentions to evict those in occupancy.
The said land, now fully occupied with private homes and rental houses with tenants, is said to be of about 20 to 25 acres stretching from Njuguini to Slota villages within Athi River Township location in Mavoko division, Athi River Sub-county.
“Take notice that pursuant to the judgement of the Honorable Justice A. Nyakuru, ELCJ on 10th July, 2024 in Machakos ELC/227/2017 between Kelvin Nzioka and Kenya Meat Commission, Kenya Meat Commission was confirmed as the lawful and beneficial owner of all that property known LR NO: 10281, Athi River,” the notice seen by the Star read in part.
It continued, “Take further notice that all unlawful occupants were ordered to vacate the said property within 90 days from 10th July, 2024, when the judgment aforesaid was delivered and in default thereof, that they be evicted from the said property. Take notice that the said 90-day period lapsed on 10th October, 2024, and you have yet to vacate from the said property. Take notice that should you not have vacated the said property and removed all your property from the said land within 14 days from the date hereof, we shall proceed to evict you at your risk as to damage and loss".
The notice was copied to the Deputy County Commissioner, Athi River, Sub County Police Commander, Athi River and Deputy Registrar, Machakos Environment and Land Court.
This notice comes barely a month after some residents of Katani location in Mlolongo division were evicted from a disputed land next to Whistling Moran restaurant at night.
The victims reportedly lost their property to goons who aided in the night evictions.
Those rendered homeless after their homes were pulled down by a bulldozer are yet to come to terms with what befell them.
The land in question, for which KMC has issued a notice for eviction, is adjacent to the East African Portland Cement Company land, in which hundreds of Kenyans were forcibly evicted over a land row in 2023.
Kenyans of all sorts lost their property to the evictions. Property worth millions of shillings was destroyed when several bulldozers roared on the parcel.
Not, even a single structure was spared despite the fact that some of the victims of demolitions were high-ranking members in the society.
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen recently said land grabbing was a major challenge to security in Machakos County.
Murkomen said land grabbers deprive legitimate land owners of their right to property.
They invade both public and private land, subdivide them and later sell to unsuspecting buyers, some of whom later become victims of forcible state evictions.
Kenya Meat Commission is currently under the Ministry of Defence and is managed by Kenya Defence Forces personnel.
The eviction notice has sent jitters not only to the residents of Athi River, some of whom live on the parcel of land in question, but to some of the local leaders alike.
The 14 days end on May 22, 2025.
