[Source: Daily Nation, by Vitalis Kimutai]
Multinational tea companies operating in the South Rift smarting from a National Lands Commission (NLC) directive that title deeds for more than 200,000 acres of land be handed over to county governments have been hit with new land rates.
In a sign of hard times ahead, Kericho County increased the firms’ annual lands rates per acre 33 times, from a paltry Sh300 to Sh10,000.
The Governor, Paul Chepkwony, has directed the County Executive in charge of Lands Barnabas Ngeno to move with speed and immediately effect the new land rates, and to complete the re-surveying of the land under tea by the end of the year.
The multinational firms have grown tea in the land for many years.
NLC recently directed that the multinational tea companies in the region, including Unilver, James Finlay, George Williamson and Sotik Highlands, hand over title deeds to the county governments.
Kericho, Bomet, and Nandi Counties are expected to have the final say on whether the land lease for the firms will be reviewed or renewed as most of the details are shrouded in secrecy.
The multinationals have been operating in the region from 1920 and cumulatively employ more than 15,000 workers.
