Police in Karatina Nyeri chased away residents who had invaded government land while chanting the names of President-elect, William Ruto and his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua.
In a group of almost 100 members, the residents claimed that Gachagua had promised them the piece of land reportedly owned by Kenya Railways Corporation.
They thus demanded the immediate transfer of the land and processing of title deeds, arguing that Ruto and Gachagua assured them that the exercises would be conducted once they assumed office, allegations that could not be independently verified by Kenyans.co.ke.
Cops deployed to control the situation disclosed that the residents chanted freedom is coming, a phrase that Ruto, Gachagua and their Kenya Kwanza allies adopted in their campaigns.
“We will return once our President is sworn in," the group fled shouting after police repelled them.
One of the residents, while speaking to Nation Africa argued that the group did not break any law. He added that he hoped Gachagua would keep the promise he made.
Addressing the incident, Mathira sub-county Police Commander Benjamin Rotich stated that it was unlawful to invade land regardless of whether it was public or private.
“It is true some people tried to invade the railway reserve. But they are forgetting that there is a government in place and the land does not belong to anybody but is government property,” he said.
The group was also advised to reach out to Kenya Railways to sign a lease agreement as the corporation is barred from selling public land.
Reports indicate that at least 2,000 traders were evicted from the area in 2020 which was set aside to facilitate the revamp of the railway line.
Ruto and Gachagua have not yet responded to the residents claims.
The two leaders were declared Presiden-elect and Deputy President-elect on Monday, August 15 by the chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Wafula Chebukati.
However, their rival, Azimio La Umoja's Raila Odinga, is set to file a petition seeking to annul their victory. Raila argued that the results were null and void and further accused Chebukati of incling to make a personal rather than a collective decision in his declaration.
This was after four commissioners led by IEBC vice chairperson, Juliana Cherera, walked out of the national tallying centre at the Bomas of Kenya, and accused Chebukati of failing to incorporate them in the presidential vote tallying process.
They also alleged that the total tally of the percentages accorded to presidential candidates equalled 100.01 per cent , with the extra 0.01 per cent totalling to 142,000 unaccounted for votes.
Chebukati, however, responded by claiming that the four commissioners compelled him to declare a re-run, contrary to their oath of office.
"This is tantamount to subverting the Constitution and the sovereign will of the People of Kenya."
"The Chairperson refused to yield to this unconstitutional and unlawful demand and proceeded to declare the results of the Presidential Election as received from the polling stations," he explained.
