Former Buxton tenants Mutua Mutia [L], John Tsuma, Jacinta Gichaga, Mohamed Mwinyi, Haki Yetu’s Munira Ali and Jamvi la Ardhi na Makao Mombasa Forum’s Hellen Horia outside EACC offices in Mombasa on Thursday / BRIAN OTIENO

Former Buxton residents are pushing the anti-graft agency to reveal the status of their investigation into how the Buxton public land was acquired for the affordable housing project.

The residents, who were joined by human rights activists from Haki Yetu Organisation and Jamvi la Ardhi na Makao Mombasa forum, on Thursday said they are still in the dark yet they continue to suffer having not been allocated any units as promised.

The implementation of the affordable housing project at Buxton in Mombasa was linked to a six-acre piece of public land whose disposal is the subject of an unresolved investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

“This warrants clear answers regarding circumstances under which the land was disposed of, the processes through which it was made available for development and whether the public interest and the rights of the affected residents were adequately protected,” Haki Yetu’s Munira Ali said on Thursday outside the EACC offices in Mombasa.

The Haki Yetu legal officer said it is concerning that the affordable housing programme at Buxton continues to be implemented while the circumstances surrounding the disposal and subsequent “illegal” utilisation of the Buxton land remains unresolved.

“Affordable housing cannot be pursued at the expense of accountability, lawful public land management or the rights of communities whose homes and livelihoods are affected by such developments,” Ali said.

She said that the continued silence by the anti-graft agency, since 2024 when they launched investigations following a petition by Haki Yetu, has left affected tenants and members if the public without answers on a matter that has significant implications on their rights and their confidence in public institutions.

“We therefore ask, what has become of the investigations? What has the commission established? What remains to be done? And when can the affected former tenants and the Kenyan public expect a conclusion?” Ali said.

She said the call for transparency does not mean Haki Yetu is in opposition to the EACC’s work.

Rather, it is made in support of the EACC’s mandate and in recognition of the importance of independent oversight in protecting public resources and promoting accountability.

“We demand that the EACC publicly disclose the current status of its investigation into the disposal of the Buxton public land and provide a clear timeline for concluding the investigation, indicating when the affected community and the public can expect formal communication on the outcome,” Ali said.

She added that public land has been used to build AirBnBs (short-stay apartments) in Buxton, proceeds of which go to private individuals.

“The housing levy is being used to build affordable housing units but these units are being given to wealthy businessmen.”

Buxton Tenants Association chairman Mohamed Mzee said they are in limbo and the EACC silence bothers them.

“We want to know what their conclusion is. Was what was done to us right or not right? So that we know the next course of action,” Mzee said.

Former tenant Mutua Mutia said he lived at Buxton since his days before he became a teenager and were ejected inhumanely when they were past 50 years old.

“We were told it was an affordable housing project by we see only tycoons have the units now. Were these units built for tycoons or the hustlers? Do the units qualify to be called affordable housing units?” Mutia said.

He said they only got promises left, right and centre.

“EACC should not become like other bodies in Kenya where they are given mandates to do certain work, but become toothless dogs,” Mutia said.

He said it is about five years since they were ejected from their former homes.

“The President, when commissioning the units, said we should be allocated units in Phase 2. Since then, we have not been contacted. We don’t know whether we will be allocated those units,” Mutia said.

He said the Senate has pronounced itself saying the former tenants should be allocated the units that are ready.

“Up to date, nothing has happened. Is the Senate also a toothless body in Kenya?” Mutia said.

Buxton Tenants Association deputy secretary general John Tsuma, who is also an official at the Jamvi la Ardhi na Makao Mombasa Forum, said Mombasa leaders who stood with them during the initial stages of the tussle have now completely abandoned them.

He said the count used to earn Sh21 million a year from the Buxton units, but is now not known if the county makes any revenue from the units’ rent.

“This Sh20 million a year would have been Sh100 million collected over the last five years. That is enough money to pay the striking nurses in Mombasa and avoid a health crisis that we are now seeing in Mombasa,” Tsuma said.

The EACC said it will issue a comprehensive statement over the status of the investigation in due course.