The government has released Sh7.9 billion to compensate land owners affected by the construction of phase II of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). National Land Commission (NLC) Vice Chairperson, Abigael Mukolwe said the payments will start this week to allow the project that had been hit by protests to go on.
Those to be compensated include land owners from the Nairobi National Park to Rongai Railway Station in Kajiado county.
A statement released to media houses on Saturday, indicated that compensation for other areas is on course. The money will be a relieve for hundreds of landowners who had paralysed the project to protest against delayed compensation for land taken over by phase two of the Standard Gauge Railway project.
A spot check by The Standard indicated that that no work has been going on in parts of the project at Twala, Ngong, Ole Kasasi and Kimuka where landowners have vowed not to let go of their land until they are paid. However, work is going on in Kiambu, Narok and Nakuru sections of the railway where landowners have agreed on compensation terms with NLC.
