Kipkaren Mosque commended for sheltering Kambi Nyasa evictees
The mosque became a place of refuge for residents whose homes were demolished by the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), following a land dispute
Uasin Gishu Women MP Gladys Boss Shollei has commended the Muslim community in Kipkaren for providing shelter to displaced residents of Kambi Nyasa who were evicted from their land.
After their homes were demolished last month by the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), the affected families sought refuge at Kipkaren Mosque, where they were offered temporary accommodation.
During a visit on Monday, April 20, the legislator donated humanitarian supplies, including dry food and bedding, to the displaced families. She also pledged to follow up on the eviction to ensure justice is served.
“I will personally follow up on the matter to ensure we find a lasting solution,” she said.
Speaking during the handover event, Sheikh Abubakar Bini, chairman of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) North Rift chapter, welcomed the support, noting that it would go a long way in easing the suffering of those affected.
“We remain grateful for your support and assistance to people who were unjustly forced off their land,” he said.
In the aftermath of the eviction, Sheikh Abubakar Bini, through the Hudaa Foundation, had earlier donated food and other essential items to the displaced families.
More than 100 families were left homeless following the eviction, which stemmed from a longstanding land dispute. The Environment and Land Court ruled in favour of the church.
The residents accused the church of abandoning its spiritual and humanitarian responsibilities, opting instead to forcibly evict them from land they had called home for more than five decades.
However, the church, through Eldoret ACK Bishop Christopher Ruto, maintained that the eviction was lawful. He stated that the land had been allocated to the church by former President Daniel arap Moi and that the eviction was carried out in compliance with a court order.