Nairobi Landlord Removes Roof, Door of Woman’s House over Rent Arrears

A Kenyan woman and his children are living a house without a door and roof after her landlord removed them over rent arrears amounting to Sh11,000.

Ruth Shiundu from Nairobi’s Kawangware estate said her family has had to endure cold nights and has appealed to well-wishers to rescue them.

Speaking to a local TV station, Ruth said she moved into the house in December last year and has been paying rent on time except for April and May when she defaulted after her second-hand clothes business was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ruth, a mother of four, said she tried to seek clemency through area chief but the landlord heard none of it.

“Nimekaa hiyo miezi yote wa nne sasa ndio landlord anaona sifai kwa sababu kazi sasa imedidimia, mimi nauzaga mitumba ambayo sasa watu hawanunui kwa sababu hawajui zimetoka nchi gani,” she said.

She added: “Aliiniambia tarehe kumi mwezi huu lazima nikue nimemlipa nilipokosa nikamwambia sijapata akaniambia sitaweza na siwezi kuvumilia ndio akaja na caretaker wake na grinder akakata mlango wote.”

The incident comes days after Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) released a report this week showing that at least 30.5 percent of Kenyans could not pay their monthly rent in April due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on their income.

In the period under review, the report indicates 59.8 percent of Kenyans were able to pay rent on time. Only a few landlords have waived rent for their tenants during the crisis.