Squatters of Moiben during a meeting
Citizen Centre for Development and Human Rights (CCDHR) mandate stems from solving family disputes through mediation and deliberation, legal ad and political issues. In the early hours of 2nd of April 2015 a group purported to representatives of Moiben Squatters (Uasin Gishu County) visited CCDHR offices claiming to have been subjected to human rights violations. In December 2014, the county government conducted evictions.
The aftermath of the whole process resulted to destruction of property and blatant violation of human rights. Initial findings documented by the Red Cross indicated that more than 81 houses were set ablaze and or demolished by hired or otherwise belonging to the County Government of Uasin Gishu Bulldozers. All these undertakings rendered a substantial percentage of household and families homeless. Records has it that more than 450 people were affected including young children, sick people living with disabilities in addition to vulnerable groups i.e. the elderly, women and pregnant women.
To build up on the case, CCDHR conducted an investigation of the matter with an aim to acquire factual information.
These were the findings of the study;
1.There exists a substantial percentage of squatters within Moiben area
2.Houses and property belonging to squatters worth millions of shillings was destroyed
3.The County Government of Uasin Gishu was the architect in the whole process
4.The County and Central government mechanisms were used in the illegally
5.The area chief and ward administrator were supervising the whole eviction and destruction of property.
6.Video and photographs clearly establishes the existence and ruins of demolished houses and property.
7.Plight of the vulnerable was not taken into account
8.Victims were psychologically tortured.
9. School going children stopped attending schools due to the long distance created by evictions.
10.The process was carried without following procedure. i.e. no court ruling, no written notice to the squatters.
From the findings, CCDHR concluded that the squatters suffered prejudice and arbitral violation of their human rights. The victims suffered mental, financial and psychological torture. CCDHR recommended that Uasin Gishu county government compensate the victims immediately in consideration of the poor conditions they (victims) are leaving in.
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