There was drama in Tigoni, Kiambu County after angry youth stormed a site to hold demonstrations over the alleged grabbing of land by an organisation in the area.
The youth from YMCA College destroyed some structures in the area while lamenting that land meant for the establishment of a higher education facility was on the verge of being grabbed by a developer.
In a bid to stop the grabbing of the 61-acre land, the youth went to the extent of destroying a wall erected by the private developer to cordon off the land.
Builders at the site, who were constructing the wall, were forced to flee for their safety as protesters drove them away from the contentious piece of land by pelting stones.
The busy Limuru-Kiambu road also experienced delays for the better part of the morning as protestors blocked the busy highway, with police being forced to intervene to restore calm.
According to one of the area residents, the protests stemmed from frustration after efforts to involve the court in the land dispute proved futile.
The YMCA is one of the oldest institutions in the area, founded in the 1960s. "This land was given by the owners so that it could become a perpetual heritage for the children of needy families to learn agriculture and make it a profession," a Tigoni resident claimed.
With over 200 students, YMCA College is considered an institution of heritage by locals, who have been harbouring hopes that the college would eventually be elevated into a university soon.
This was the latest incident involving protests against an alleged land grabber, in what is becoming a common trend in the country among residents keen on defending pieces of land they have occupied for years.
In January, learning was disrupted at Gatoto Primary School in Mukuru kwa Reuben, Nairobi, following a protest by parents on Monday over alleged land grabbing by local leaders.
The enraged parents stormed the school, protesting what they described as a plot by a few individuals to secretly alter the ownership of the land associated with the school.
That same month, tens of residents, mostly women, rendered Jogoo Road impassable near the Mbotela Estate over a land dispute, with at least 14 plot owners in the area counting heavy losses.
