Mavoko MP Patrick Makau has said he has no plot on the East African Portland Cement Company land in Athi River, Machakos county.
Makau said he should therefore not be insulted as a land grabber for fighting for the thousands of residents he termed as squatters.
He said the cement company land must revert to the residents since the EAPCC’s mining lease has expired.
“After frustrating that company until it starts making loses, you say that since its lease has expired you want to sell it. I am telling President Uhuru Kenyatta that Machakos residents are citizens just like those in Del Monte, those who were at Waitiki,” Makau said.
The legislature spoke during the third anniversary of former MP Wavinya Ndeti's husband Henry Oduwole. The memorial was held at her rural home in Kinanie, Machakos county, on Saturday.
“This Portland land belongs to the government. Its lease has expired. When a lease elapses, you cannot start selling that land. It must revert to the people who belong to that area,” Makau said.
“If I say that, people start saying that I have been given parcels on the same land. I want to tell you to go there and if you find even an inch of my land start calling me a thief. But if it is Mavoko residents who are on that land, they must be given the land,” Makau said.
The MP said Portland should move out if they are unable to produce cement and leave the land to the residents.
The government has ordered those occupying the land to move out to create room for affordable housing under President Uhuru Kenyatta's Big Four agenda.
EAPCC intends to sell part of the over 12,000 acres to offset its debts and keep the company running.
"We are not against the government building affordable houses and the dry port but Mavoko residents are also citizens like the ones in Del Monte and Waitiki. So, we want equal rights," Makau said.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka who spoke at the same function said there should be public participation before evictions are done on the controversial land.
Kalonzo said he had received delegations from investors in Movoko who expressed fears of their structures being pulled down by the state if the evictions are effected.
"This is a serious issue and we want our people not to be brought to shame. So, let there be public participation and investigations to be carried out to find out if there are land grabbers in Portland and ILRI lands,” Kalonzo said.
