Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has promised to seek compensation for villagers killed last year during clashes over the Mwea settlement scheme in Embu county.
Musyoka, who on Thursday visited the scheme, alleged he was the one who persuaded President Uhuru Kenyatta to suspend the distribution of the land after the police attacked nine settlers in April 2018, leading to the death of Kennedy Mutua.
He called on the government to establish a commission of inquiry into the clashes and the decades-long scheme conflict.
Speaking at Gategi Africa Inland Church and at Makima when he presided over a commemoration ceremony for the late Mutua and eight other injury victims, Musyoka said he would sue for compensation on behalf of the victims.
“Since it’s a year ago when this incident took place, we will have to file an application to the court to admit the matter out of time to ask the Attorney General to accept to pay compensation to these victims. It’s the government’s bullet that caused the damages. Even the young Mutua, who was killed during the fracas, must be compensated,” said Musyoka at Makima..
He was accompanied by Mwea Ward representative Harrison Mwaluko and his Makima counterpart Phillip Nzangi, Kitui Senator Kiio Wambua, Masinga MP Mbithi Mwalio, nominated MCAs Edna Muisyo and Elizabeth Kibai among others.
He said the family of Mutua depended on him for sustenance.
Nzangi and Maluko passionately urged Musyoka to intervene into the issue to ensure justice for the victims and also distribution of the 144,000 acres of land is done afresh.
Musyoka said death and injuries should never be allowed to recur, arguing that the constitution provides for the basic and fundamental human rights.
He said there is no justification for anybody in Mwea to live with dissatisfaction as it is their right to be accorded all the fundamental constitutional rights.
The former vice president lamented over the grabbing of the scheme by civil servants and some politicians.
He asked the president to punish those who have abused their offices to grab the land.
He claimed last year when the land was being distributed, he called President Kenyatta over the phone and asked him to intervene.
President Uhuru then instructed Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i to suspend the exercise, Kalonzo claimed
He asked Senator Wambua and MP Mwalio to table a motion seeking an appointment of a commission of inquiry into scheme.
Nine were shot by police during the clash after they tried to block over 1,732 people, who have been allocated land in the scheme, from settling on it.
