5,000 Murang'a, Kiambu residents to settle on ceded Del Monte land

Some 5,000 residents of Murang’a and Kiambu counties will be settled on land recently ceded by Del Monte Kenya Limited.

The land was gazetted a month ago. The residents will occupy 70 per cent of it, while the rest will belong to the two counties.

Del Monte owns approximately 50,000 acres in both counties under a leasehold agreement renewable every 99 years. 

Surveyors are working to determine the actual size of land to be hived off, which is said to be more than 3,000 acres straddling the two counties.

Kandara Residents Association and the two county governments filed separate lawsuits to push for the surrender of part of Del Monte’s land, whose lease was due for renewal. The parties agreed to settle the matter out of court.

Association patron PMG Kamau last Wednesday said those to be resettled suffered injustices during the colonial era.

He said the families were forcibly evicted from their land, which the colonialists turned into sisal farms before embarking on large-scale pineapple growing.

“Majority of the beneficiaries lost their land to the colonialists and during that time most were murdered or maimed. The members are from Kandara subcounty while others are residing in Gachagi, Matharao and Umoja slums in Thika, Kiambu county,” Kamau said.

He spoke at a meeting with members of the association in Kihiu Mwiri village. 

Kamau said the association and the firm agreed that two-bedroom houses will be built for the families living in the Thika slums as reparation for the injustices suffered. 

He said a mega city, cottage industries, industrial park and greenhouses will be put up on the land beside the residential houses. Beneficiaries will receive portions for farming.  

Kamau introduced the team that will oversee the resettlement. It will be led by Geoffrey Kairu, director of historical land injustices forum.

He said a number of local and foreign investors and financiers have shown interest in forming a partnership. 

“Members who have for years toiled and moiled tirelessly at the Del Monte farm will now have a sweet taste for their efforts and long wait for justice. Even those who retired without any benefits from the firm will have something to smile about,” Kamau said.

He praised the national government for gazetting the deal and said his team will work with both county governments.

Kamau said his team is currently mapping out the land in conjunction with the firm and the government.

“Again we commend the company for agreeing to skip the legal way of settling the matter and reaching an amicable solution. They have played a great role in bringing joy to the members,” he said.

Edited by Josephine M. Mayuya