The National Lands Commission (NLC) has issued a notice to 41 landlords over the intention to acquire land for the expansion of Itugururu Airstrip in Tharaka Nithi County.
In a Gazette Notice, NLC's chairman Gershom Otachi listed the names of registered owners alongside the parcel numbers and area in Hectares set to be acquired.
Some of the affected landowners include individuals as well as county government offices who will be required to forfeit the land.
For instance, the Office of the President, Ministry of Interior and Assistant Chief's office in the county will forfeit 0.1 Hectares of land, while 0.2 Ha of land from Chuka Law Courts will be seized.
A landlord from Tharaka Nithi known as A.N.M will be required to surrender 2.2 Ha of land while D.N.M will forfeit 0.8 Ha before the project commences.
"Plans for the affected land may be inspected during office hours at the office of the National Land Commission, Ardhi House, 3rd Floor, Room 305, 1st Ngong Avenue, Nairobi and at the National Land Commission’s County Co-ordinator’s Office in Tharaka Nithi county," the notice read in part.
The expansion of the airstrip is part of the county's plan to improve infrastructure and open trade ties with other counties.
According to Governor Muthomi Njuki, the airstrip expansion would be implemented in two years.
He noted that the County Government would seek more land in line with Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) regulations.
"We have 800 metres of the land but according to the KCAA, an airstrip should comprise 1.5 Kilometres and therefore we need 700 metres more to complete the project," he stated in February 2023.
The County Government is set to spend an average of Ksh27 million to acquire the land.
