Evictees accuse EALA MP of breach of agreement
By Harrison.Kivisu, March 9, 2023Former Buxton estate tenants who were evicted to pave the way for the construction of Sh 6 billion affordable housing projects have accused the developer, Suleiman Shahbal of breaching the tenant purchase agreement.
The project is being developed by GulfCap Real Estate. GulfCap Real Estate is owned by the investment banker (Shahbal) who is also a member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
The tenants yesterday staged a peaceful protest from the Uhuru Gardens along Moi and Nkrumah avenues to the Treasury square where they presented a petition at the Mombasa county assembly. Led by Buxton tenant’s association Deputy Secretary General John Tsuma said the developer has sold all the units to outsiders with total disregard of the tenant purchase agreement.
Paying deposit
Part of the agreement was that tenants would be prioritised and given special terms for payment including paying a deposit of ten percent of their preferred units, payable over six months.
“It’s two years now since we were evicted, we feel short changed because all the houses have been sold to outsiders and we were supposed to be priority, but this is not happening, again they have introduced new purchase schemes totally against our agreement,” Tsuma condemned.
The Tenants said that the agreement was that they would use their rent as instalments to buy the units they live in, but since construction began, the developer introduced another mode of purchase targeting the rich.
The residents, mostly retirees, said they could not afford units with the previous terms and conditions. The residents received relocation packages of Sh240,000 but the developer retained Sh60,000 as deposits for the new units on behalf of the residents.
Shahbal also serves as the chairman of GulfCap Real Estate, which constructs affordable housing projects in Mombasa and Nairobi.