Transport in Eldoret town was paralyzed on Tuesday after a section of landowners whose land is within the proposed Southern bypass multi-billion project took to the streets.
The landowners were protesting over delays in the release of their compensation money while at the same time hitting out at the National Land Commission (NLC) and the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) who are handling the matter.
Led by Cheplaskei-Maili Tisa bypass land owners secretary Levi Boit, the tens of landowners said despite NLC conducting a valuation on their farms in 2016 they are yet to be paid even a single cent.
They claim NLC owes over 1,025 landowners compensation estimated to be about Sh4.2 billion.
“It is sad KeNHA and NLC have been taking us around and about giving false promises. When are we going to get our payments?" asked Boit who blamed the KeNHA deputy director only identified Eng. Cherono and NLC vice chairman Abigael Mbagaya for their woes.
“We are giving them seven days to pay us our money failure to which we will stage a demonstration that will paralyze the already ongoing construction works for the bypass,” he added.
President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned the construction of Sh6 billion 32.9 kilometres bypass in August 2017.
The project is funded by the African Development Bank and seeks to ease congestion in the Uasin Gishu's capital.
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