Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, on Tuesday, March 7, directed the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Lands, Nixon Korir, to oversee the relocation of squatters in an encroached military land in Eldoret.
Duale urged the PS to craft new mechanisms for relocating the squatters, adding that the Ministry shall provide alternative land to relocate locals.
In a meeting held by the CS and other leaders from Uasin Gishu County and the National Lands Commission (NLC), Duale lamented that the existence of the squatters in the piece of land delayed development projects such as the expansion of the Kenya Ordnance Factories Corporation (KOFC).
The meeting aimed to solve the disputes emanating from land grabbed at Moi Barracks, Recruits Training School (RTS), and KOFC.
According to Duale, plans were underway to expand the factory, and his Ministry was keen on avoiding any military-civilian disputes.
KOFC is a State Corporation under the Ministry of State for Defence mandated to manufacture Hardware, Machinery, and Equipment - small arms ammunition and high precision tools using the latest technology.
The Corporation seeks to identify local and international sources for raw materials to improve cost-effectiveness and satisfy the nation's need for quality small-arms ammunition and related products.
It was the first firm with ammunition production and engineering divisions in Kenya. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta established the second small arms firm in Ruiru in 2021.
Meanwhile, Duale recognised the efforts of the technical committee in finding viable recommendations to relocate the squatters.
“We are requesting the community not to have a hard stance when told to move to other areas. There are errors committed in the past while allocating the land which led to encroachment but we now want to correct them and find a permanent solution," the CS advised.
Additionally, he extended the term of the technical committee and expanded its membership to include officials from the county government, NLC, Attorney General, County Commissioner, and Turbo Member of the National Assembly, Janet Sitienei.
"The Kenya Defence Forces intends to remain good neighbours with the local community to enable them to discharge their core mandate of defending and protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic," Duale affirmed.
