Four people have been killed and ten others seriously injured when police opened fire on squatters protesting about being evicted from the 1200 acre Twiga Estate farm in Kenya, which they have lived on since 1952.

152 families (4,000 people) have been living on the farm since 1952, but claim they have owned the land since 1965 when itwas given to them by a white settler. They built homes and schools, and farmed the land for over 60 years.

Ownership of the land has since been disputed by a company called Mbo-Kamuiti who finally won the dispute in court, and subsequently issued those living on the land with an eviction notice. Despite over 100 officers armed with guns descending on the farm, the occupiers managed to repel the attack with bows and arrows, and stones.

The police have reported that four of their officers have been injured by arrows, including the chief of police who was shot in the arm pit.

A police spokesman has said that:



“On reaching a bridge next to the farm, the youths started pelting police officers with stones and throwing arrows at them. They were so violent that the officers were left with no alternative but to open fire in self-defence” Quote:

One of the occupiers reports that:



“The police were shooting at us using live bullets and I was hit in the leg as we scampered for safety” Quote:

.

Despite claims that an eviction notice had been served, the occupiers claim that they have never received any such notice, and that the police sneaked onto the land in attempt to force them out at 4.30am.

The courts have re-iterated their decision to evict and have instructed the police to see through the eviction.