Laikipia residents repossess grabbed land for Huduma Centre

Residents of Makutano in Ngobit, Laikipia, have repossessed 16-acre public parcel that had been grabbed by private developers who were in the process of subdividing it.

Led by area MCA Robert Murage, the residents erected a signpost on the land to ward off any grabbers. They said the parcel had been earmarked for construction of a satellite Huduma Centre.

Murage said he would not allow the parcel to be grabbed and vowed to lead residents to reclaim all other public plots in the hands of private individuals.

“I have personally gone to the Ministry of Lands offices in Nanyuki town and conformed it is public land,” he said.

Huduma Centre project chairman Christopher Ng’era warned anyone eyeing the parcel. The Laikipia East Constituency National Government Development Fund had already set aside Sh25 million for the construction of the facility.

“The community resolved that this land be set aside for public use where a police post, a chief’s office and a market would be put up to serve area residents, so we were perturbed to see some individuals claiming ownership,” Ng'era said.

He said residents held a public-participation forum in April to discuss matters concerning construction of the satellite Huduma Centre that would serve people in Laikipia and parts of Nyandarua.

Philip Maitima, a resident, urged the government to come to the aid of the local community and help repossess all grabbed public land.

Ashford Ngamate noted that he was a foreman at Gatarakwa land buying company when it set aside the parcel in 1977.

“If you look properly, there are no permanent houses here apart from that of the chief, the district officer and the police because it is public land. Land-grabbers have tried to subdivide this land four times without success,” Ngamate said.

Edited by Henry Makori