Mombasa County Assembly members have criticised Coast Regional Coordinator Nelson Marwa's plan to evict families living near Moi International Airport in Mombasa.
The MCAs led by Deputy County Speaker Mswabah Rashid have rejected a proposal by the security committee to evict people living near the airport.
Mr Rashid said the residents living near the airport did not encroach the land that the State claims belongs to the Kenya Airport Authority (KAA).
He argued that the residents were settled on the land after being displaced during the airport expansion and were genuine owners of the land.
According to the MCAs, the proposed demolition of houses near the airport will render more than 15,000 people homeless.
“More than 15,000 people are living near the airport. They have allowed property developers to build homes. They are neither squatting nor encroaching there.”
Mr Rashid who is also Airport Ward Representative said the affected residents should be compensated and facilitated to settle elsewhere.
He added that it was the county government’s mandate to plan how land should be used, adding that the security committee should have first consulted with the county government before sending the eviction proposal to National Land Commission Chairman Muhammad Swazuri.
“We are asking Mr Marwa and the security committee to consult with Governor Hassan Joho and the county leadership over such a plan or keep off such a function. Mr Marwa cannot purport to make decisions on behalf of the people of Mombasa without involving the county government,” he said.
Mr Marwa had said that there was need to relocate those living near the airport for security reasons, as the structures adjacent to the airport could be used by terrorists as hideouts.
The eviction would affect residents of Mwagosi, Bokole and Baraka in Changamwe sub-county.