Residents of Lari Kirenga have warned the Water and Resource Management that they will protest if its officials visit the village it claims is a wetland.
The leader alleged that the water department is trying to push the government to evict residents from the village, which he termed as unfortunate.
Lari Kirenga MCA Joseph Karichu said Warma has never engaged elected leaders on the issue, saying conducting research in the village is ambushing them.
"Warma has never written to my office or of any other elected leader regarding the issue. It is a very sensitive matter," he said.
He added, "Ambushing people, some of whom are old or sickly, with questions, might make them worse. Why let people suffer as if they are not represented?"
Speaking at Kariaini yesterday, the leader warned Warma that residents will not move since the area was not swampy.
The ward rep said residents were allocated lands by the government, which has also supervised them when they sell and buy lands through the District Land Board.
Twenty-eight-year-old Michael Chege said he was born at the village and has been practising horticulture.
"We were shocked when we were told this place was a swampy area. All we know that there was a white settlers dam," Chege said.
"It didn't dry up when the white people left. The village is in a low area where water flows when it rains but it later dries up and we continue with our farming."
On April 11, Kiambu Warma manager James Nyangweso said the government launched research on areas marked as wetlands.
He added that they also want to know how many people have occupied the wetlands, the effect felt and the impact it will have if conserved.
"We shall write our report and forward it to our headquarters for more advice. I assure you that no one will be forcefully evicted," he said.
However, Nyangweso added that in their report, those who will be too close to the waterways will be affected.
"As of now, we can't say who will be affected and who will not. The research will guide us," he said.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)
