[Source: The Standard, by Everlyne Kwamboka]
The National Land Commission has recommended that 930 hectares of land occupied by a late powerful minister’s family in Mt Kenya be reverted to squatters.
The piece of land excised from Mt Kenya following the late President Jomo Kenyatta’s directive issued in September 1970, is to now be owned by Ontulili Forest squatters who claim to have been shortchanged in the deal by the late Lands minister Jackson Harvester Angaine.
NLC Vice Chairperson Abigael Mbagaya said the property in question should revert to the squatters because it was excised purposely for them.
The commission recommended that the Chief Land Registrar gives it back to the squatters and in the alternative, Angaine’s family provides them with a piece of land of equal size and value.
“The Chief Land Registrar registers the land in the name of the squatters and they should be settled with the assistance of the Director of Land Adjudication and Director of Surveys,” she said in a gazette notice dated February 18 and published on March 1.
In the notice, Ms Mbagaya said the recommendation was made after hearing all parties in a historical injustice claim made to the commission.
“The commission invited all the complainants, respondents and the interested parties to appear before it to inspect documents and make written representations and submissions after which the commission undertook further investigations,” she said.
The recommendations were made five years after Court of Appeal dismissed three cases that sought an order compelling the government, family and Home Grown Kenya Limited to settle more than 500 squatters on the piece of land or give them an alternative land.
The land issue dates back to 1970.
[Full article: The Standard, by Everlyne Kwamboka]
