The rivalry between the newly launched Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) political party and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in Kilifi County took a dramatic turn after hired goons defaced PAA offices in Malindi.
ODM Coordinator in Malindi Justin Baya is said to have hired goons allied to the party to deface and lock new Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) party offices after he was kicked out by Nairobi homes for failing to pay rent.
He has reportedly hired over 30 goons and went with them to the office with a view to deface the PAA brand claiming the office belonged to him despite orders from the court that directed the agent to auction his goods and remove him from the offices due to arrears.
Interestingly when the goons arrived at the offices they refused to take any action forcing him alone to deface the PAA brand and locked the office located at Vera Cruiz Building within the Malindi complex area.
Nairobi homes Malindi branch who are managing the property on behalf of the owner Naznin Mohamed Shabir said Baya had rent arrears of Sh66,000 which he failed to pay even after being given a gross period by the court to pay the rent.
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Nairobi homes Malindi branch Manager Francis Mutungi told the media that they had court orders allowing them to auction the properties belonging to Baya in the office which they did and got a new tenant who followed the due process to rent the office.
Mr Mutungi said the problem started when Mr Baya started defaulting rent which accumulated to a huge amount forcing them to seek auctioneer services.
He said Baya preceded to the business rent tribunal and got a temporary order allowing him to say but the orders were lifted after the Nairobi homes lawyers moved to court to challenge them.
After that, Mutungi said the auctioneer took Baya’s office properties and the office was declared vacant with a notice to let.
Documents given to journalists showed the orders issued by Malindi chief Magistrate W. K Chepseba on July 7 2021 stated that Work no Words auctioneers had been allowed to enter the premises tenanted by Justin Baya and let by Naznin Shabir situated at Vera Cruiz along Lamu road Malindi by breaking open the entrance to the business premises and distress for rent.
“I proceeded to put a notice to let the office which was very visible to the public which was done immediately after auctioneer handed over the same premises to us,” he said.
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Mutungi said they were surprised that Mr Baya came with goons and decided to deface the PAA brand and lock down the offices despite the fact that he still had arrears.
To him, PAA had followed all the legal procedures of renting the office and wondered why their former tenant came to deface it and blocked the PAA members from furnishing the office.
Mr Mutungi received information that his clients PAA were being harassed by Mr Baya who defaced their brand and denied them access to the office.
“I think this issue is political because here we have one Justin Baya who is an ODM representative in Malindi and here we have Pamoja party in Malindi which is a political party.
He said PAA officials followed the due process and were satisfied with the office after identifying it and signed the legal documents and were given the keys to the office.
“The office belongs to PAA we don’t recognize anybody else, we have court orders allowing us to evict Justin Baya,” he said.
When contacted Mr. Baya admitted to having three months arrears but wondered why he was being evicted just because he had no money.
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“I was in Nairobi and when I came back I found my office being painted different colors forcing me to go to court and get orders to bar the new tenants from accessing offices,” he said during the interview.
The ODM coordinator in Malindi said he went there with ODM die-hards but strange enough when they reached there they refused to deface the PAA brand forcing him to do it alone.
“This office does not belong to ODM it is my personal office meant to give me daily bread for me and my children, I was not informed about the plan to evict me, I was not given any orders or notice,” he said.
He said that even if he has no money he did not deserve to be evicted in that manner adding that currently there is money belonging to tourists and property worth over Sh1.8 million which had been taken.
He said the issue had now taken a political angle despite the fact that he was fighting for his rights to remain in office.
Work No Words Auctioneers stated in a document seen by journalists that they took three office tables, one divine seat, two shelves nine office chairs, one filing cabinet, one wooden box with a glass door, and one paper cutter.
