Lydia Mathia Under Fire as Woodley Residents Allege County-Backed Goons Force Them Out

Residents of Woodley Estate in Nairobi have intensified their calls for police intervention as they face continued harassment from county-backed goons conducting forceful evictions, with fingers pointing directly at Housing and Urban Renewal Chief Officer Lydia Mathia.

In a desperate plea to Nairobi County Police Commander Adamson Bungei, the residents’ legal representatives reported multiple incidents orchestrated by the county, in which county-enabled goons have forcibly entered their homes, leading to theft and destruction of property.

The situation has escalated dramatically, with about 20 tenants already losing their properties to goons who storm into houses, sweeping everything and carting them away towards Kibera, according to the residents’ chairman.

The residents accuse Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration of using jungle law to bypass legal processes.

These evictions, which have been ongoing since May and June 2025, have been described as discriminatory, targeting specific tenants despite their decades-long occupancy.

Many of the affected families had benefited from a rent waiver program implemented by former Governor Mike Sonko approximately seven years ago.

Chief Officer Lydia Mathia has become the focal point of residents’ anger and political criticism.

The Nairobi County Assembly has already passed a censure motion against her, accusing her of gross misconduct, abuse of office, violation of human rights, and disobedience of court orders in relation to recent evictions in city estates.

Environmental activist Ezekiel Muthoni has accused Mathia of causing environmental pollution in Woodley, leave alone engineering land grabbing, illegal evictions and corruption.

However, the High Court has temporarily halted the County Assembly’s move to oust Mathia from office after she successfully challenged her removal in court.

This legal victory has only emboldened what residents see as continued impunity in the handling of their plight.

The residents also accuse some powerful individuals in City Hall of eyeing houses in the neighbourhood, citing accrued rents that were waived about seven years ago.

There are serious allegations that the evictions are part of a larger scheme to benefit political allies.

Investigations have revealed claims that Nairobi City County Government plans to send goons to Woodley Estate in a bid to forcefully evict genuine residents, steal their properties and pave the way for what experts now call the upcoming mother of all corruption scandals within the Sakaja-led administration.

The evictions have raised serious constitutional questions about residents’ rights.

Legal experts argue that families are being evicted forcefully by county officers with no legal backing, no alternative housing, and no respect for their dignity or rights under Article 43 of the Constitution.

The county government maintains that the evictions are necessary to clear the way for the Nairobi County Government’s urban renewal housing project in partnership with a private developer.

With Governor Sakaja remaining largely silent on the matter, residents have expanded their search for justice beyond county boundaries.

They are now calling for external intervention from national government agencies and human rights organizations to protect them from what they describe as state-sponsored harassment.

The Woodley evictions are part of a broader pattern, as the county has evicted tenants from over 10 estates in the city as it embarks on clearing rent arrears.

As the legal battles continue and families remain displaced, the Woodley estate crisis has become a litmus test for governance, human rights, and the rule of law in Kenya’s capital city.

The residents’ fight against what they perceive as systematic oppression by unknown landlords using county resources continues to unfold, with no clear resolution in sight.