The Environment and Lands Court in Murang’a has given Del Monte company and parties blocking its land lease renewal three weeks to negotiate an out-of-court settlement.
Justice Grace Kemer made the decision after Kandara Residents Association asked for more time for talks. The association filed the petition in January this year seeking to stop the lease renewal until public participation is conducted.
The association also wants the court to compel the company to cede 6,000 acres of land that they claimed was violently seized by colonialists from their forefathers.
The land, they said, would be used to establish communal projects like hospitals, a cemetery and other social amenities. But on October 4, the residents told Justice Kemei that they were ready for an out-of-court settlement.
The court gave the parties including the National Land Commission, the Attorney General, the plaintiffs and the Murang’a and Kiambu county governments until today to negotiate and table a report on the progress of the talks.
The talks scheduled to start at the National Land Commission offices on November 6, failed to get underway after most parties failed to show up.
Residents told the court through lawyer Duncan Okach that they needed more time and requested for 21 days.
The NLC said it invited all parties for the talks but they could not proceed as the main party, Del Monte company did not turn up.
“We are not partisan to any of the parties and are still committed to mediate the matter,” the commission said through lawyer Charles Wambugu.
Residents said they want to parties to be sincere about resolving the dispute, not just attend court sessions and the negotiations.
The fruit-processing company regretted it had not been able to attend. Its lawyer Ng’ang’a Thuo said the company is fully dedicated to the talks. Justice Kemei gave the parties until December 23, to present a report on the negotiations.
On November 7, two other Murang’a residents filed a petition seeking to block renewal of the company’s lease, lease pending public participation. They said the county was biased in favour of Del Monte.