The Mountain Journal
editor@themountainjournal.co.ke
Twenty-five families living in deplorable conditions in Gachagi, Murang’a County, are urgently calling for their resettlement by Kakuzi PLC Limited.
The families live in a congested area, sharing latrines and bathrooms, without space for a kitchen garden, seeking government intervention to get justice.
The squatters’ chairman, Mr Michael Mburi, said they live in abject poverty, depending on casual labour to feed their families.
A visit to a village paints a picture of abject poverty where 25 families are congested using uncovered toilets and bathrooms as drones hover in the air.
Mburi explains that 20 years ago, Kakuzi compensated the elderly after working for many years in Gathungururu, Thangira, Mwambu, Ngaatho, and Ithanga, among other villages, each allocated four acres.
But Mburi details that 35 families were allowed to pitch camp to live at Gachagi, in agreement that the host make arrangements to settle them in one of its lands.
In 2004, the 35 families engaged Kakazi on the resettlement plan. At least 10 families were resettled on one-acre plots in 2018. Now 25 were left behind.
Last week, the squatters told Maragua MP Mary Wamaua that some employees at Kakuzi were blocking their resettlement.
Maragua MP revealed that Kakuzi postponed a meeting scheduled for April to plan the resettlement without concrete reasons.
“I am giving Kakuzi 14 days to organise another meeting with the residents and local leaders to resolve the settlement of the squatters, failure to which protests would be held weekly in their premises,” said the MP.
She added that resettlement of the families is a human rights issue, pledging to make as much noise as possible until their plight is addressed.
On May 29 this year, the company’s head of corporate affairs, Simon Odhiambo, said the firm has never promised to ‘gift’ any of its land holdings to Gachagi residents as alleged.
“Over the years, a mutually agreed-upon MOU has been in place between the residents and Kakuzi. It permits specific community members who are parties to the MOU to occupy a portion of our land, measuring 10 acres, in consideration of an annual fee and adherence to set conditions.”
Odhiambo detailed that the drones surveilling the area are part of a technology-based security system that helps surveil its orchards that are prone to theft, vandalism and attacks on employees.
