Landlord removes his tenant's door and roof over unpaid rent amid Coronavirus lockdown (photos)

The Coronavirus lockdown put in place to halt the spread of the disease couldn’t stop a Kenyan landlord from visiting one his tenants to demand for his rent at Ichuga Estate in Nanyuki town.

Jane Wamucii, 39, a mother of three told Nairobi News on Thursday that her landlord decided to send her packing from her one room apartment without granting her an eviction notice.

According to the woman, her landlord stormed the property on Wednesday and removed her room door and some iron sheets over her inability to pay her rent.

“I have lived in this house for close to two years now and I have never had any difference with my landlord. My children were at home when the owner came and removed the iron sheets and door. I came and found that it was true,” Ms Wamucii said.

“It is raining heavily and I fear that my children could contract diseases. Well, I have been trying to reach out to him but in vain. The landlord and other individuals stormed the house and took away my foodstuff and other household items. We have been sleeping on the floor and we can’t bear the cold.”

Ms. Wamucii, who has bar said she hasn’t been able to cater for her family following the country’s nationwide lockdown to combat the Coronavirus pandemic.

This comes after President Uhuru Kenyatta urged landlords in the country to reduce monthly rent for their tenants as many were struggling financially because of the global crisis.

“Those property owners who have reduced or agreed to work terms for the monthly rent in order to provide roofs over the heads of vulnerable brothers and sisters and in this regard, I wish to urge all others to emulate this great example and not put our people in even more vulnerable situations as we face this current pandemic,” Mr Kenyatta said.

Few days ago, the Landlords and Tenants Association (LATAK) in Kenya directed all tenants to stop paying their rents until further notice due to the impact of Coronavirus pandemic.

The association’s Secretary-General Ben Liyai said: ‘‘LATAK directs all tenants not to pay rent until when President Uhuru Kenyatta orders businesses to resume normal operations,” said Liyai.

“All the landlords must forthwith stop evictions, harassment and disconnection of electricity and water to tenants,’’ he added.