NLC Accused of Colluding With Land Grabbers

The National Land Commission (NLC) was on Sunday accused of remunerating land grabbers in the Ksh5 billion Eldoret bypass project.

Residents facing eviction due to the undertaking, through their chairperson Simeon Samoei, vented their frustrations, claiming that the NLC has been colluding with cartels that had wormed their way into the compensation exercise.

"What NLC has done is a clear indication that they value more the interests of cartels who have infiltrated the compensation process, than of genuine landowners," Samoei was quoted by Nation.

Abigail Mukolwe, the NLC vice chair had on Tuesday stated that the Ksh153 million that was paid out to 68 residents living on the KDF land was only meant for developing the pieces of land.

However, the locals alleged that an unnamed farmer's society had attained a title deed using underhanded tactics and gone to claim to be the legal representative of over 100 displaced persons.

“We will not allow some people to steal from the government twice — grabbing land and seeking compensation,” declared Lewis Boit, a local youth leader.

Dwellers of the various towns along the proposed highway made an appeal to Kimani Wamatangi, the Kiambu Senator & head of the Senate Transport Committee (STC), to use the body to step in on their behalf.

Through their chairman, the residents asked the Senator to suspend payments, pending the verdict of a thorough investigation by the committee.

“Some influential people have been using all means to ensure that they get a share of the Ksh300 million set aside by the government to pay Maili Tisa, Leseru and Tebeson residents. Senator Wamatangi and his committee should stop this matter until their report is made public next month,” Samoei asserted.

Mukolwe emphasized that the commission had only transferred funds to people whose particulars had been approved and that the rest would also undergo vetting.

“Maili Tisa, Leseru and Tebeson belong to the government. The government acquired it a long time ago for KDF but we are paying for developments there, and not land. For a fact, the government cannot buy its own land,” she stated.

Residents of the affected areas pledged to walk out on their deal with the government if they weren't compensated by Tuesday.