A 46-year-old widow spent Tuesday night in the cold after goons invaded and demolished her home following a land tussle with a private developer.
Rose Auma Obiero, a mother of three who hails from Limbo “B” village in Doho East sub-location in the outskirts of Ukwala town is now crying for justice, alleging that the land in question was sold illegally by her step mother in law.
Speaking to the media at the destroyed home Wednesday, Obiero said that she lost everything to the goons who ransacked the home after chasing her away.
“I had just arrived from harvesting my beans when a group of young, heavily built boys, some of whom I know, stormed in accompanied by the police and ordered me out,” she narrated tearfully.
Her pleas to the goons to allow her take the valuables fell on deaf ears as the youths harassed and shoved her away.
According to the widow whose husband died 17 years ago, her father in-law had given her the piece of land, parcel number Doho/ 553 to put up a home in the year 2016 and she lived peacefully on it, until 2018 when her step mother in-law brought a buyer to claim the portion.
She said all was well until the death of her father in law in October last year when her nightmares begun.
Mrs. Obiero said that she sought the intervention of the public administration in Ugenya Sub County but it was all in vain and was forced to seek legal aid from the federation of women lawyers in Kenya (FIDA).
“The case is currently being handled by the High Court Kisumu which issued an order restraining the alleged developer from interfering with my land until the matter is resolved,” she said.
The widow is now crying for justice, saying that she had nowhere to seek refuge and had lost everything to the goons.
They looted everything including sacks of maize, millet, house hold goods, clothes and even iron sheets and construction poles,” she lamented.
One of her brothers in law, Geoffrey Ochieng said the lady was allocated the land in question, measuring 0.9 acres by her father in law who even took her and the late husband to the exact land location, where they were to build their house.
Ochieng said they were perplexed to hear that the step mother in law had sold the whole piece of land.
Ugenya assistant county commissioner, Veronica Naliaka discounted claims that she had refused to give an ear to the widow when she sought her assistance, adding that she had told the woman to produce the court order barring the eviction but she failed to do so.
The widow’s lawyer, Janet Anyango condemned the eviction, saying there was no way the Ukwala magistrate’s court could issue a demolition order when it had already been served with a notice of appeal, against a judgement it had delivered in favour of a buyer, a Mr. Sylvester Odhiambo Okoth.
“This is contempt of court because the High court is yet to hear and determine the case. We shall push for justice for the widow,” said the lawyer.
By Philip Onyango
