The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Lands has stepped in to address the land ownership disputes involving Wilson Mutumba Women’s Group in Lang’ata and Kenanie Community Organization in Mavoko Sub County, Kenanie location.
The Committee chaired by Nyamira MP Joash Nyamok separately met both groups to establish the bonafide ownership of land parcels LR. Numbers 209/14582 and 12649 respectively.
Members of the Committee established lack of a written agreement between Wilson Mutumba Women’s Group and the Irish organization led by Mr. “A” whom they claimed sponsored them to build the residential houses.
The Committee also noted that the Women’s Group allocated National Police Officers some houses but lacked minutes to define the terms of engagement.
The Women’s Group alleged that a certificate of lease had been issued to them on 18th December, 1990 and that in 1991 they had been sponsored by an Irish organization to put up residential houses.
They also explained that the formation and registration of their group stemmed from their squalor living conditions occasioned by their extreme poverty, where they were sheltered by used carton boxes which couldn’t withstand rain and cold.
On allocation of houses to National Police Service, the Women’s Group told the Committee that the then leadership were afraid of Police and so they had no option but to assist Police Officers who initially sought shelter to guard a helicopter that had landed on the parcel of land and thereafter surged in numbers followed by eviction of Mutumba Women’s Group on the said land.
In a separate session, the Kenanie Community Organization informed members of Lands Committee regarding their struggles in accessing the land allegedly belonging to their fore fathers claiming the land had shrines of worship.
They alleged that they face arrests and restrictions to the said land.
To end the unwarranted interference and blockage, Kenanie Community Organization sought the Committee’s indulgence on whether the land is owned by KWS and Game Ranching or the local Community.
However, the lawmakers directed Kenanie Community Organization to seek formal registration and put documents together to enable the Committee find an answer to the issue.
To resolve the Wilson Mutumba Women’s Group land dispute, the Committee urged them to engage other interested parties with court cases on similar matter should there be for a unified approach.
The Committee committed to engage relevant stakeholders in a bid to find a long lasting solution.
“We have invited the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning, National Lands Commission and Kenya Police to enable the Committee to resolve and bring the dispute to a conclusion”, said MP Nyamoko.
The Kenanie Community Organization is a disputing existence of a wilidlife corridor on the contentious land.
They have sought the National Assembly’s interventions through the Committee on among other grounds, a claim that the dispute had denied them access to a shrine located in he contentious area.
The Committee asked for more correspondences from both groups, before it invites relevant stakeholders from the Ministry of Lands and the National Land Commission over the matter.
By Muraya Kamunde
