More than 300 people spent the night in the cold after their homes were demolished at Ombeyi village in Nyando Sub county, Kisumu.
The trail of destruction conducted by a grader from Ahero Irrigation Scheme was heavily guarded by armed Administration Police officers who threatened to descend on Journalists who had just arrived at the scene in the company of Muhoroni MP, Onyango K’oyoo.
K’oyoo was himself speechless having witnessed the brutal act which he described as inhuman in this 21st Century arguing that the exercise should have been done in a manner that does not disenfranchise the poor.
Although he successfully pleaded with the National Irrigation Board (NIB) Western Kenya Regional Manager, Laban Lan’gat to halt the exercise, over thirty homesteads had already been flattened as helpless elderly widows and orphans watched in disbelief.
In response, Lang’at told the MP that local elders were fully involved in the demolition program and that the affected persons were given ample time to pave way for other Agricultural activities spearheaded by the NIB in Ahero.
The Member of the County Assembly (MCA) for Ombeyi, Joshua Ouko was at pains to explain what transpired as residents made futile attempts to salvage whatever they could as the demolitions went on.
Ouko decried that it was unfortunate that the evictions could be carried out without prior notice before the County Government soughtfor an alternative site to resettle the affected families.
He pledged to work with MP K’oyoo to have the victims resettled elsewhere but took a swipe on the NIB officials for pushed the community too far and cautioned that a repeat of battle of a similar action could result in devastating consequences if the villagers reacted.