- The chairman said residents are already in agreement with NLC and they will be compensated with money.
- Gacheru said those fueling the resistance have been cautioning residents to skip NLC public participation meetings
Image: John Kamau
Mutomo residents in Gatundu South have blamed political interference in the expansion of Mama Ngina University.
The government through the National Land Commission is seeking to acquire 40 acres adjacent to the university for expansion and the process is expected to affect some 186 households.
Already 161 affected residents have agreed to give their land for the expansion but the remaining 25 have move to court to challenge the eviction.
Mutomo Land Owners Association chairman Harun Gacheru, who’s leading the faction that has agreed to move on Friday said that some politicians have been pressuring residents to oppose the expansion.
“They have been inciting residents through propaganda. First they claimed that the university is a private institution belonging to the Kenyatta family but NLC told us it’s a public university," Gacheru said.
"They have been misleading residents that the government wants to relocate us to Lamu and Laikipia. Their aim is to whip emotions and create opposition."
The chairman said residents are already in agreement with NLC and they will be compensated with money.
“This rules out the rumours of being forcefully evicted. Compensation will be in form of money so that everyone can buy land in a place of their convenience,” he said.
Gacheru said those fueling the resistance have been cautioning residents to skip NLC public participation meetings and later lodge claims that they were never been invited for the meeting.
“They have been spreading leaflets but fact remains that NLC has conducted five meetings to sensitise residents on their plans to acquire their land,” he said.
He said that the residents are now waiting for a meeting with NLC to negotiate on compensation and later be awarded their compensation.
“We are in the final stages so that we can move from our parcels and pave way for the expansion,” Gacheru said.
The chairman said some of the residents who have been opposing the project have started supporting after getting the right information.
During the Friday meeting, eight residents who have been in ‘opposition’ agreed to give their land.
Mary Njuru one of the residents who had opposed the project said that they had been told that compensation won’t exceed Sh1.2 million and they they’d be forcefully evicted from their homes should they decline the offer.
“I was in the dark all this time. I have come to learn that it was propaganda and I am now ready to move once duly compensated,” she said.
Meanwhile the residents received financial literacy training from the National Bank of Kenya officials to help them make informed financial decisions once they receive their compensation.
They were also trained on succession matters by assistance deputy county commissioner Edward Goko to help those who are yet to complete the succession process.
“We were enlightening them on the succession issues so that they can expedite the same for a smooth compensation and land acquisition process,” Goko said.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)