NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 1 – Azimio La Umoja One Kenya leader Raila Odinga has hit out at the government over the demolition of houses in Kakamega describing it as unconstitutional.
The opposition leader castigated the demolisions during a rally held in Kakamega during the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) recruitment drive.
Odinga further indicated that the demolition of private properties will inflict suffering on Kenyans.
“We condemn in the strongest terms possible, this act of the national government destroying people’s houses under the guts that they want to put up affordable houses,” he stated.
The ODM leader observed that the government must compensate those people whose properties were destroyed.
“The government must compensate the people whose properties have been destroyed,” added Odinga.
The leader clarified that the orders to demolish the houses were unconstitutional since the regional commissioner who deployed the order to demolish the properties does not hold any authority in the county and has no power to interfere with the Governor.
“Under the devolved system of government, the executive authority in the county rests in the governor, not in the so-called regional commissioner,” he stated.
