Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja and his Kajiado counterpart Joseph Lenku have signed a joint boundary dispute resolution agreement to end a longstanding border row at Rombo.
The Saturday agreement follows a structured engagement of a technical team and community from both counties.
The team came up with a report detailing the boundary between the two counties at the Rombo Ranch.
While signing the agreement at Rombo ward in Kajiado South, Samboja termed the pact a laudable step which should be the genesis of an amicable dispute resolution for counties embroiled in similar boundary disputes.
“Today marks the end of a 50-year boundary dispute. It is a milestone move that all counties should embrace,” Samboja said.
He said the move signals a fresh start for a lasting peaceful co-existence between the communities bordering the two counties.
The agreement, Samboja said, will enhance service delivery by both counties to the communities living in Rombo. Both counties eye business taxes and levies in the agriculture-rich area.
Samboja reiterated that the two counties will continue strengthening their working relationship especially in agriculture and infrastructure sectors.
Taita Taveta wants to solve other boundary disputes with neighbouring counties through mediation talks, the governor said.
“It is our desire that the boundary dispute pitting us against Makueni and Kwale yields a similar outcome. I urge our neighbours to embrace dialogue,” the governor said.
Kajiado's Lenku asked communities from both counties to respect the demarcated boundary and observe the laid-down rules to ensure peace and harmony.
He said most boundary tussles were politically fueled, further asking leaders to amicably solve border disagreements through mediation.
“We have demonstrated that the many boundary disputes among several counties can be resolved without going through the torturous court processes,” Lenku said.
Taita Taveta is also in talks with Kwale county to end a similar dispute over Mackinnon Township.
Both counties have so far agreed to stop collection of taxes at the town so as to fast-track mediation talks.
Samboja and his Kwale counterpart Salim Mvurya agreed to move with speed to resolve the dispute.
Since the inception of devolution, Taita Taveta has not collected revenue in her border towns of Mtito Andei and Mackinnon owing to protracted boundary disputes with Makueni and Kwale counties respectively.
But Samboja maintains that his administration is ready to face the dispute head-on and start collecting taxes in the two towns.
“We have already set an office in Mtito Andei and shall be soon deploying revenue officers there. The county must realise the local revenue target by reaching out to all business operators,” he said.
The row over Mackninon Township has been ongoing since 2013.
Edited by R.Wamochie
