More than 4,000 squatters in Kieni constituency, Nyeri County want the government to resettle them before the year ends or else they will boycott the 2017 elections.
On Tuesday, the squatters said they have been reduced to beggars and thus are unable to feed their families citing lack of land, insisting they have been relying on relief food from NGOs.
“We have been reduced to beggars who only depend on menial jobs to survive since we have no land to farm or build houses. All we get are empty pledges of resettlement since 1960 and up to now we are yet to get land. Hunger, diseases, poverty and congestion is what is affecting our people,” said Peter Mwangi, as quoted by kbctv.co.ke
They accused previous regimes of neglecting them, while politicians have been giving them empty promises especially during elections.
Mwangi said they had been promised to be resettled at Solio settlement scheme but claimed they were left out in favour of undeserving people.
Nyeri business lady Rahab Mukami also appealed to the government to urgently address the plight of the squatters and resettle them.
“Its sad to see these people remain as squatters for over four generations yet we attained our independence in 1963. The government needs to move fast and resettle them,” Mukami said.
They said they need a lasting solution to the matter, threatening not to participate in the elections next year.