[Source: Daily Nation, by Vincent Achuka]
The government has started evicting hundreds of people who had bought property next to the disputed 3,000-acre piece of land that was dramatically repossessed last week to pave way for the expansion of the Dandora Sewerage Treatment Plant in Ruai, Nairobi.
This comes as Deputy President William Ruto denied being the mystery owner of the land that has for the past week been associated with him in sections of the media.
“Ownership of land is determined by a title. Show me the title with the DP’s name and I will respond,” Mr David Mugonyi, the DP’s spokesman, told the Nation.
Dr Ruto has remained silent over the property, opting to let his allies take the flak.
Some 40 bulldozers, under heavy police protection, continue to tear down any structures erected on the expansive parcel.
By Thursday, a huge 50-foot wide ditch had been dug round the property to prevent encroachment.
Police watched as vandals completed the demolition and carted away construction materials and steel rods.
Eastpark Police Station, which has for years guarded the property from squatters and people asking questions, has been deserted, with the officers who were stationed there waiting to know their fate. The station has also not been spared by the vandals.
For those who had bought property on land adjacent to the disputed parcel, however, the surprise decision by the government has come at a huge cost.
The government’s plan is to consolidate the original LR No. 12979, measuring approximately 5,319.91 hectares, which was transferred to the Settlement Fund Trustee on December 5, 1986.
The land was questionably split into LR Nos. 12979/1, 12979/2, 12979/3 and 12979/4.
LR No. 12979/1 — measuring 1,716.9 hectares — is where the Dandora Sewerage Treatment Plant stands. LR No. 121297/3 (1,000 acres) and LR No. 12979/4 (1,600 acres) said to belong to Offshore Trading Company and Renton Company Limited were repossessed last week.
LR No. 12979/2 — measuring approximately 3,614.2 hectares — which has partly been occupied by squatters is the one being repossessed now.
On Monday, they were given a 72-hour notice to vacate the property or be forcibly evicted.
Over 1,000 families had built houses and other permanent structures while others engaged in farming.
The orders were issued by Justices John Mutungi, Lucy Gacheru and Pauline Nyamweya after Ruai Squatters Settlement Scheme sued Renton and City Hall to stop their eviction from the property.
[Full article: Daily Nation, by Vincent Achuka]
