The latest dispute between a local community and East Africa Portland Cement Company has been sparked by the recent announcement of Trade and Industrialization Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya that the Government had decided to dispose of the disputed land to bail the company out. The question of who owns the land is still in dispute. Thousands of people live on the land under different entities. EAPCC’s board of directors has insisted that the land belongs to the company and that the ‘intruders’ must be ejected.
Speaking at the company’s plant in Athi River, Mr Munya said the Government would sell 900 acres of the land in Mavoko to Kenya Railways. Kenya Railways wants to build a modern container terminal at a cost of Sh5.2 billion. Mr Munya said 16,000 more acres would be sold to fully bail out the company.
The land has, however, been sold to investors who have already developed it. For instance, Superior Homes, which own Green Park estates, bought the land in 2001, developed it and has been engaged in court battles with EAPCC for failing to provide their client with a title deed. The case is pending in a Machakos court. Following the 2012 Gazette notice, the local community that has lived on the parcel for decades raised millions to buy the land. They have expressed fears that their money could have gone down the drain.
[Article source: The Standard, by Peterson Githaiga]
