The move to relocate Mutomo residents in Gatundu South, to allow for the expansion of Mama Ngina University, has taken a new direction.
Some of the residents have welcomed the state's idea while others have vowed not to allow the government to forcefully evict them.
The institution, a brainchild of former MP late Joseph Ngugi, was constructed in 2019 on a 10.3-acre piece of land and the management is seeking some 40 acres of the adjacent land for expansion.
This move will affect at least 180 households.
In a gazette notice, the National Land Commission sought to, on behalf of the Ministry of Education, acquire land parcels for the expansion of the university.
The faction supporting the expansion plans led by retired Kimunyu chief Julius Ng’ang’a said the government has engaged the residents and followed due process including public participation in acquiring the land.
“The government reached out to us and explained why we need to move from our plots. We agreed by signing consent forms to allow the NLC to use our plots for further development upon duly compensating us,” Ng’ang’a said.
“Out of the 180 affected persons only six have not signed the consent forms. Claims that we are being forcefully evicted are pure lies and politically instigated.”
Patrick Ndichu, a businessman said the establishment of the university will improve the provision of quality education and trigger economic growth in the area.
“It is a blessing in disguise. We know those opposing its expansion are not affected,” Ndichu said.
The university principal James Kung’u said the expansion will enhance the provision of quality training besides triggering more developments in the region.
However, the faction objecting to the expansion plans led by Margaret Njeri said they will not leave their ancestral land.
“This is where we were born and raised. We have buried our parents in these pieces of land. Those buried here are more than 100 and telling us to exhume their remains is like open old wounds,” Njeri said.
She said NLC has never conducted any public participation and there was no consensus between the residents and the government.
“They have just been taking us in circles whenever we raise this issue. We are now living in fear of forceful eviction and this is taking a toll on many of us and especially the elderly,” she said.
“We will not move from our land.”
Those supporting the expansion refuted claims there are more than 100 graves in the village.
Emma Mbaire, one of the affected residents said the civic by-laws do not allow people to be buried in the quarter-acre plots and those already interred before the laws came to effect are fewer than five.
However, a visit by the Star established more than 70 graves in some of the homes, not all.
The constituent college of Kenyatta University is tucked about 100 metres off Kenyatta Road in Mutomo village, and about 14.5km from Thika road.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
