Demolition begins in Makongeni as residents receive compensation

The history of one of Kenya’s oldest estates, Makongeni, is being rewritten as bulldozers bring down homes passed down through generations, making way for the government’s affordable housing project. Over 3,000 families now face the uncertainty of starting life afresh in a new environment, with each household receiving 150,000 shillings as facilitation for relocation. The government has acquired the 139-acre site, and the first phase of the redevelopment is set to deliver 5,000 modern housing units.