[Source: Daily Nation, by Gitonga Marete and Kennedy Kimanthi]
Grabbing of public land and greedy allocations have been slowly distorting land use in Meru, leaving the county government without sufficient space for public amenities.
Investigations by the Nation, which have been backed by a recent Meru County Land Bank Committee report, indicate the extent of the land crisis in the county.
The committee researched on the state of public land in Meru, following an outcry over grabbing.
The findings of the committee show that while large parcels of land have been grabbed by private individuals, several others are already under use.
The Nation also established that large pieces of land either set aside for public use or actually being used by the public, had been transferred to private ownership and documents issued.
Further, many of the said owners are yet to alienate and develop the land, but it is not available for public amenities either.
The most affected areas are Mwendantu, Kanu grounds, Salama-Mjini, Kambakia, Kongoacheke, areas near Kinoru Stadium and Makutano.
According to the committee’s findings, at least 230 parcels measuring 1,735 acres of public land in Meru have been grabbed. A further 590 undocumented plots — whose acreage has not been established — are suspected to have been grabbed, while 1,852 acres have been encroached on by individuals who are using the land for farming and illegally leasing to third parties.
Those who have leased the land illegally were receiving money, denying the county revenue, the team, which presented its report to Governor Kiraitu Murungi last week said.
Committee chairman Rogers Ruthugua said they had combed the entire county in the past two years, identifying and documenting public land that might have been grabbed.
The committee recommended that all grabbed land should be repossessed and parcels that had been identified secured by fencing and entering the data into the county GIS land system.
Mr Murungi said his administration would study the report and act on the recommendations, adding that land grabbers would be dealt with.
Mr Murungi said his administration would study the report and act on the recommendations, adding that land grabbers would be dealt with.
At the same time, Mr Murungi warned owners of plots in Meru Town, that have remained undeveloped for several years, that they will have to surrender them to the county for reallocation.
The governor said plots were allocated for a purpose and asked owners to either develop or surrender them, adding that failure to construct buildings according to plans had led to sluggish development in the town.
[Source: Daily Nation, by Gitonga Marete and Kennedy Kimanthi]
