[Source: Daily Nation, by Kalume Kazungu]
Several squatter families in Lamu are crying for justice following their recent eviction from a disputed piece of land said to belong to Egerton University.
The more than 10 families have now been forced to put up camps by the roadside in Mikinduni, Mkunumbi Division in Lamu West since being thrown out of the 432-acre piece of land on December 19, 2019.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, the squatters, most of whom are farmers, said they were left with nothing after their properties were destroyed during the eviction, which was supervised by armed police officers and other State agencies.
Their spokesman, Joseph Kiplagat, who has lived on the disputed land since 2001, said that during the eviction, police officers stood guard as bulldozers demolished their houses and other structures.
Mr Kiplagat accused some local politicians of colluding with tycoons to frustrate the squatters.
“There was a court battle which we previously won. We were shocked to see armed police officers and bulldozers invade our dwellings and destroy them. There were almost 50 houses on the disputed land which were all demolished. We were also ordered to move out.
We have nowhere to go and that’s why we are camping by the roadside. We need justice,” said Mr Kiplagat.
Contacted, Lamu County Commissioner Irungu Macharia said there was no controversy about the said land since it is genuinely owned by Egerton University.
Mr Macharia said they obeyed a court order to evict the squatters from the land.
“First, there was a court eviction notice. In fact there is no controversy about this. The land genuinely belongs to Egerton University. There was an eviction order from the court after the squatters lost the case.
“We didn’t want to be found in contempt of court and that’s why we provided security to supervise the eviction. I am aware these people claiming to be squatters have their genuine residential places. My advice is that they should go back to their pieces of land since the ones they claim to own are rightfully owned by Egerton University,” said Mr Macharia.
[Full article: Daily Nation, by Kalume Kazungu]
