Irony of Lydia Mathia Seeking Court Interventions Months After Calling Court Orders ‘Mere Papers’ While Spearheading Evictions

Whether she was acting under the instructions of other city hall cartels or on her own is now a matter of the past after Nairobi MCAs voted to remove her from office.

This is the ironical story of Nairobi Urban Renewal Chief Officer Lydia Mathia who is now out of office courtesy of ignoring court orders. She is currently trying to compel the same court to help her reclaim the position she misused.

During her tenure, she ignored court orders which stopped the illegal demolitions of houses in Woodley, Ngara Estate among other estates. The evictions left many suffering and traumatized, and the question remains: will the courts allow her to continue with impunity in the coming days?

Previously, referring to a court order that stopped the eviction of Woodley residents from their legally acquired homes, Mathia said that “court orders are just papers.”

“Those are mere court papers that do not hold water. We are going to proceed with the evictions,” she said in a past event when contacted.

Patrick Analo and Governor Johnson Sakaja were also aware of the said court orders that stopped the said evictions in Woodley Estate in Nairobi. It’s not clear whether they blatantly ignored them or if Mathia had the final say, according to sources. Although the County Assembly is contemplating stopping the eviction in totality, some greedy individuals within the city have been trying day and night to hijack the entire process.

“The County Government is contemplating stopping the said evictions in totality. People of Woodley and other estates in Nairobi deserve to have a place to call home.”

It is in the public domain that the Nairobi County Assembly recently passed a censure motion against Housing and Urban Renewal Chief Officer Lydia Mathia, accusing her of gross misconduct, abuse of office, violation of human rights, and disobedience of court orders in relation to her recent evictions in city estates.

This was after the house learned that Mathia, acting on instructions from above, has been behind the illegal demolitions of people’s houses, especially in Woodley, Nairobi, Kenya, and other areas.

The motion that sent her packing was tabled by Ngara MCA Chege Mwaura and received overwhelming support from MCAs during the sitting.

Furthermore, it followed a wave of public anger over evictions in areas including Old Ngara, New Ngara, Kariokor, Buruburu, Kariobangi, and Woodley that were carried out despite an active conservatory court order halting the process.

The cries of the desperate residents were overlooked during the evictions.

“There is an existence of a conservatory order issued by the Environment and Land Court, petition number ELC E038/2025. Miss Mathia nonetheless proceeded to deploy unknown, unauthorized people – goons – to enforce that eviction. They used force, vandalized private and public property,” Mwaura told the House.

The MCAs resolved that Mathia should not only be censured but also declared unfit to hold any public office within Nairobi or elsewhere in government.

They directed the Nairobi County Public Service Board to immediately commence disciplinary proceedings against her and stop all further official dealings with her in her current or any future public capacity.

Residents affected by the evictions had complained that the operations were conducted violently and without warning, with some accusing county officials of hiring goons to demolish homes, destroy belongings, and intimidate families.

One resident from Buruburu narrated how her house was broken into while she was away and her items stolen despite having paid rent.

In Woodley, for instance, most residents suffered from shock and other ailments and appealed for help.