The ongoing expansion and renovation of the Kisumu Port in Kisumu County has continued to render homeless area residents victims, despite being hailed as a great economic milestone.
And while it enjoys the complete backing of African Union Infrastructure Development envoy Raila Odinga, his own allies and supporters continue to suffer due to the effects same.
Among them are traders, most of whom are his supporters, who had erected their stalls around the area, and whose establishments are being demolished for the expansion.
The expansion has so far seen stalls at the popular Lwang'ni beach demolished to give the extra needed space for the expansion, with area politicians too now ending up victims.
Among them is area Senator Fred Outa who says that he lost Sh10 million after the Kenya Railways Corporation, the owner of the land, demolished his one month old Roan Club.
“I’m saddened that I had to lose such a huge investment in a short notice. I also feel for other casualties,” he told the Standard on Sunday, but added that the port is more important.
“I will get an alternative place to relocate my business. We welcome the port’s infrastructure development," said the lawmaker.
Also in the list is former Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo who also lost his business in a similar manner in the same place, after his TLC bar was demolished.
The KRC has since used the same recapture its lost pieces of lands within the area, which which recently saw Raila's elder brother Oburu Oginga end up a victim.
Oginga recently got his piece of land in area returned to the corporation, over claims that he got it illegally.
KRC has since made it clear that it has cancelled all leases in the area, which automatically returns all the land under the institution.