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A senate committee has summoned Mombasa County governor Abdulswamad Shariff and Lands and Housing Cabinet Secretary Zachary Njeru to appear over the controversy surrounding the Buxton estate in the Coastal City.

This is after former Buxton tenants lodged a petition to the Senate alleging frustrations and being locked from purchasing the units.

The victims contend that both the County government and Buxton Point Apartment Limited (developer) duped and misled the petitioners and other Kenyans into believing that they would offer a tenant purchase scheme.

Yesterday, Buxton representatives while appearing before the Kiambu Senator Karungo Wa Thang’wa-led Roads and Transportation committee, said that some 522 victims have not been allocated the units despite being the original occupiers of the land.

Lodged complaints

Led by John Suma, the victims told the Senators that although they have lodged complaints with the County Government to intervene and have the matter resolved amicably, such calls have fallen on deaf ears.

“Our issues were not well captured during the public participation. Our right to decent housing and our right to appeal were infringed on,” said Suma.

According to Suma, the tenants were paying rents below Sh5, 000 per month, yet they are now being pushed to pay Sh1.2million exclusive of legal fees and disbursement for a studio apartment and Sh1.8million for a one bedroom.