More than 30,000 residents of Sabaki ward in Magarini Constituency in Kilifi County have issued a three-day ultimatum for the government to stop construction works at the controversial Agricultural Development Farm Kisiwani Complex or else they will hold mass demonstrations to the town.
The residents claim that the more than 900 acres of ADC Kisiwani complex which used to belong to locals was grabbed by influential tycoons at the expense of the people on the ground but wonder how part of it is being developed.
Already the residents led by their area Member of County Assembly (MCA) Edward Kazungu Delle has written to the Governor amazon Kingi, MP Michael Kingi , Coast regional coordinator, county commissioner, County Police Commander, OCPD and Malindi OCs over the issue.
Delle said LAP Trust Fund had acquired land within the ADC and wanted to implement a project against the will of the locals.Addressing a press conference in his office with some of the representatives of the locals Delle accused the local chief and the Malindi Water and Sewerage Company Managing Director Gerald Mwambire of being behind the scheme to ‘grab land’ in favour of tycoons.
“Unless the construction works are stopped and those who are at the site evicted to avoid conflicts with members of the community as instructed by the National Lands Commission,’’ he said.
However, in a quick rejoinder, the MAWASCO Managing Director dismissed claims that he was behind a scheme to grab ADC land saying the land was acquired legally for construction of housing pension scheme for staff of the company and the county government.
Mwambire said the MCA was the one who brokered the deal during the acquisition process of the 25-acre piece of land.
He showed documents about the acquisition process of the land which was done under the county Pension fund for MAWASCO housing project which will cost millions of shillings.
Some of the documents showed they got clearance from the national lands commission signed by Chairman Muhammad Swazuri ion October 2, 2014, to acquire the land from Teber limited.
As per NLC the land which was originally owned by ADC had been acquired by lands Limited before selling it to Teber Limited.
“Due diligence was followed in acquiring the land, we involved the county government of Kilifi on the housing project,’’ he said.
Further Mwambire said the squatters who used to live at the said parcels of land were compensated and have no problem with the project.
Currently, he said they were setting up a perimeter wall and have no resistance from the community.
The project he said would compose of modern housing, roads, petrol station, and schools.
“I would urge the leadership to support the project it will open up the area, by creating decent housing for staff to live even after retirement,’’ he said.
The ADC land controversy is not new and politicians have been using it for political mileage promising to give back land once elected to power.