A section of residents of Kongasis settlement scheme in Gilgil ledby John Kibasu addressing media on Wednesday.The residents held demonstrations accusing leaders of grabbing public land. [Photo: Pristone Mambili]
A section of residents of Kongasis settlement scheme in Gilgil on Wednesday held demonstrations condemning the local administrators over land grabbing.
The 40-acre piece of land was set aside as public utility land but it has since been subdivided to private individuals.
The irate residents claimed the local administrators among them, area chief, assistant county commissioner and Gilgil deputy county commissioner have been collaborating with individuals to sell the land.
Addressing media in the area, the locals led by John Kibasu said they will not allow the land to be grabbed.
“The local administrators have been compromised in the whole issue. We would like to know if they are untouchable,” he said.
They called on the government to step in and ensure the matter is solved before it escalates.
Rebecca Cherop, a resident, said the area chief has failed to solve the issue.
“The local administrators in this area are corrupt and that is why we are suffering as community,” she said.
The demo took a new twist after another faction emerged and claimed the land was legally subdivided.
At one point journalists covering the demos found themselves on the receiving end after a group of armed youths threatened to beat them up claiming that they did not want the matter exposed.
Police officers from Elementaita police station had to move in to disperse the fighting groups.
On his part, area chief Mathew Rotich, refuted claims that local administrators were involved in illegal sub division of the land saying the matter was under county government.
The protestors
called on the National Land Commission to revoke all the plots and revert the land to public use.