The National Land Commission is taking too long to make decision on Kenya Meat Training Institute’s grabbed land in Mavoko, says the institutions Principal Dr James Karitu.
Karitu said 30 acres of the institution’s land in Athi River town had been irregularly allocated to private developers by land cartels thereby interfering with the college’s operations.
“National Land Commission has been handling the issue, three plots each measuring 10 acres belonging to Kenya Meat Commission have been grabbed by cartels and sold to private investors in Athi River town,” said Karitu.
Karitu said there was no development on the matter since the commission held a public hearing on the land in December 2014.
“We are still waiting, these people have their own title deeds. They claim to have been sold the land in early 80’s during the reign of President Daniel Moi,” said Karitu.
He said as an institution, they were waiting for the decision of the NLC whether the titles will be revoked or regulated.
“KMTI does not have a title deed, we are in the process of acquiring one and have an LR number for the institution already. The process of land registration is at an advanced stage,” said Karitu.
Karitu said most of public institutions do not have title deeds because surveying is very expensive.
He said the grabbing had adversely hampered with their operations due to land pressure despite the institute being only of its kind in the entire country.
Karitu who spoke this writer at his office in the institution on Thursday said the public facility was vulnerable given that part of its land measuring 2.5887 acres had been acquired by National Land Commission for the Standard Gauge Railway Project.
He said the institution needs more land for its expansion stating that over 70 percent of the college’s land should be put under livestock rearing.
Karitu said students use the livestock for their practicals during training.
The grabbed disputed land stretches from the college towards Pepe Company in Athi River town.
Karitu said the disputed 30-acre land stretches from the college towards Pepe Company in Athi River town.
He said the college was left with only a paltry 18.56 acres of land for all its operations including administration, accommodation and training structures alongside crops and animals husbandry.