NYERI, Kenya – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has denied inciting residents to resist eviction from riparian land, insisting that he was merely upholding promises made during the 2022 election campaigns.
Speaking during a media roundtable on Sunday, Gachagua reiterated that Kenya Kwanza had pledged not to demolish homes built on riparian reserves, a commitment he believes the government has failed to honor.
He argued that while families were forced to vacate, the government has not followed through on its promise to restore the affected areas by planting trees along the riverbanks.
“Our priority as a country has shifted,” Gachagua said. “We promised not to demolish people’s houses. I was even summoned to the Senate, accused of inciting people to stay on riparian land. But I was only defending what we had pledged. Now that the houses are gone, where are the trees we were supposed to plant?”
His remarks come amid growing criticism of the government’s handling of environmental restoration efforts, with critics questioning whether forced evictions have yielded any tangible benefits.
The demolitions, which targeted informal settlements encroaching on riverbanks, were part of a broader effort to rehabilitate Nairobi’s waterways.
However, the slow pace of reforestation and alternative housing solutions has fueled discontent among affected residents and political leaders alike.
The former deputy president has increasingly positioned himself as a critic of the government’s policies, particularly on matters affecting low-income communities.
