Kajiado Governor Joseph Lenku has reconciled Oldonyonyokie Group Ranch officials after negotiating the return of 170,000 acres confiscated by a surveyor 12 years ago.
Members of the 69,000 hectares shed tears of joy after the prayer meeting in Kajiado West on Monday when Lenku handed over the title to the community.
The members said officials, led by chairman Joseph Sakaya, in 2008 engaged a land surveyor from Nairobi.
A deal between the then officials and the surveyor was reached and the work would cost the members Sh80 million. Sakaya said the members managed to raise only Sh3 million and the surveyor was told to start work while members continued to raise the balance — Sh77 million.
“After the surveyor completed his work, he asked for the balance but due to a devastating drought that had hit the area, the members were unable to raise the amount,” Sakaya said.
The officials then handed over the title to the surveyor as a surety. The surveyor, after seven years of waiting, decided to auction the land to raise his dues. After Lenku was elected in 2017, elders from the community approached him to seek assistance in securing the title.
Soon after the election of new officials in 2015 in which Daniel Nchui was elected chairman, divisions emerged. Outgoing officials were unable to produce the title as required by their rules.
Nchui later approached Governor Lenku who approached the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to follow up on the matter.
After several meetings held in the ranch and Nairobi with the surveyor, members and county officials, they agreed that the surveyor would be given 3,000 acres in place of the balance.
Lenku was accompanied by his Land executive Hamilton Parseina and other county officials from the Lands Department.
Edited by R.Wamochie
