Nandi County leaders have asked prominent personalities in former President Daniel Moi’s regime, who were allocated thousands of acres of land, to surrender it for settlement of squatters. Governor Stephen Sang, Senator Samson Cherargei and Tindiret MP Julius Melly said many residents are landless yet huge parcels of land remain unused.
The leaders said it would not be business as usual if the land is not surrendered to residents. “Last week we sent our Land executive Stanley Bariach, chief officer Solomon Mangira and the county legal team to Nairobi, where they presented a memorandum to the National Land Commission over the historical land injustices meted on our people.”
The leaders spoke in Tinderet when Land Cabinet secretary Farida Karoney issued title deeds to some squatters. The senator and Mr Meli said non-settlement of squatters was one of the causes of tribal clashes and that the poor had been sidelined since independence. Lands CS Farida Karoney said: “The Ministry of Land is not going to evict squatters and landless families who are being issued with title deeds.”
The leaders are targeting the land the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) initially owned in Kimwani but is now in the hands of the powerful individuals during the Moi era. Last month, the ADC ordered squatters living on its land to vacate but the county asked them to stay put.
[Source: The Business Daily, by Tom Matoke]
