Kirinyaga recovers 800 acres of public land estimated at Sh 1 billion from grabbers

The Mountain Journal

editor@themountainjournal.co.ke

Eight hundreds acres of public land estimated at a billion has been repossessed in Kirinyaga county from the private developers.
The prime land scattered in major towns across the county were grabbed by
well-connected individuals during the defunct local authorities.
The parcels of land were earmarked for hospitals, court and police stations, markets,
schools, irrigation dams, bus terminals and playfields among other social amenities.
Governor Anne Waiguru has warned that her administration will not spare any effort to
recover all grabbed public land and asked those still sitting on such to surrender the
same to the government.
Waiguru said the grabbing of the parcels of land had deprived citizens of essential
services and shared benefits.
“Safeguarding public land from being grabbed is important because such land is meant
to serve the collective good, not private interests. Public land holds schools, hospitals,
parks, forests, and infrastructure. Public land is often allocated for future development
projects like roads, affordable housing, and public utilities. If grabbed, these plans are
disrupted,” she said.
County Executive for Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rev. Samuel
Kajombe, said the County Government is still pursuing recovery of several other parcels
of land in court.

“We have several ongoing court cases that seek to recover grabbed public land. We are
optimistic the County Government will win and get the land back for the benefit of the
community,” Kajombe said.
Among land that the County Government has filed case in court seeking to recover
include that designated for the Gichugu Law Court, Kianyaga police station whose
ownership is being claimed an individual. The others include; 18 hectares reserved for
Murinduko dam and experimental farm, 700 acres of the South Ngariama land meant
for a police station, markets, government offices, hospital, water points, playgrounds,
schools and other social amenities.
Kajombe said some of the public land were grabbed by individuals who had been
compensated with alternative land after the government acquired their land for
development.

“These individuals did not surrender tittle deeds of the parcel of land that had been
acquired by the local authority and because the land was not immediately put into use,
they quietly returned and some sold it to unsuspecting Kenyans,” he said.
Waiguru’s effort to return grabbed public land has not gone unnoticed with the
Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) praising her work. This after County
Government reinstated the church on a piece of land where it had been evicted.
The church had been allocated the land by the defunct local authority but in 2013, it was
evicted by a private entity but the court ruled in favour of the church.
On Sunday, worshipers of PCEA Kianyaga gathered at their former church premises
where they held their first service in two years.
“We are grateful that the county government helped us to get back our land which had
been taken away by a land buyer who evicted worshippers in a premise that they had
built for over 30 years,” said Wilson Maina, Kirimara West Presbytery Moderator.
One of the critical piece of land that has been recovered from grabbers is the 242 acre
where the County Government is constructing the Sagana Industrial park.
“We went to court, we won, they appealed, and again, we won. I was entrusted to lead
delegations many times. I wanted this land back for the people of Kirinyaga because we
have plans for industrial growth,” Waiguru stressed.

Waiguru said the recovery of the parcels were not for political or personal benefit.
“I told them I have no interest in land. What matters is that Kirinyaga people benefit
through development,” she added.
She said safeguarding public land also helps preserves the environment because many
of such forests, wetlands, and water catchment areas and protecting them helps
maintain biodiversity, prevent pollution, and safeguard natural resources.
“Properly managed public land also attracts investment, supports agriculture, housing,
and industry, boosting the economy. If we had allowed the 242 acres of land at Thigirici
to be taken away, we would not have gotten land to construct the Sagana Industrial
park,” she added.
Other parcels of land that have been recovered include that of the Kerugoya affordable
housing project and clothes market, the proposed Kutus bus park, the Mwea “red soil”
land for rice research centre, the Baricho stadium, Nyangati MCA offices land.