Hundreds of investors are demanding refund of money they allegedly paid to land cartels in Mavoko, Machakos county.
Agitated buyers on Saturday confronted chairmen of groups they accused of duping them into buying parts of the controversial East African Portland Cement Company land in Athi River.
They demanded their money, stating that they had realised they were conned by individuals claiming to be leaders of squatters.
The investors raised questions after they were called to participate in a peaceful demonstration on Mombasa Road to present a memorandum to deputy county commissioner David Juma at his office on Saturday.
They protested against the demonstration, claiming they were being fooled.
They questioned why the groups leaders organised the demonstration on a weekend when the DCC was not around.
“Why do you take us for a ride? Why do you organise such an activity on a Saturday? To hoodwink us? we are not fools,” an agitated investor said.
One of the groups chairmen shouted them down.
Those who demanded their money back refused to contribute Sh10,000 as directed by the leaders.
Each ‘squatter’ was to contribute Sh10,000 to protect the land which the government has ordered them to vacate.
There is a looming clash between the investors, cartels and East African Portland Cement Company over the land.
The government has directed those occupying the 12,783 acres to leave.
Independent investigation by the Star revealed that some of the cartels who sold land to unsuspecting buyers have since closed shop.
Athi River deputy county commissioner Juma said that the evictions were not mere threats but real.
He said the government had given the over 1,000 occupiers of the land ample time to remove their property to avoid losing them.
“All the structures on the land will be demolished. Everything will go down flat without minding the kind of investment an individual has made on the parcels of land,” Juma said.
The date of evictions has not been announced. “There will be evictions very soon on EAPCC land which has been invaded by grabbers since 2009,” Juma said.
