More than 2,500 squatters in Kiambu county who have been living on land hived off from a forest 27 years ago are appealing to President William Ruto to rescue them from cartels who are eying the property.
The group, under the umbrella of Kamiti Forest Squatters Association, is accusing local administrators of colluding with cartels to drive them out of the land in Kamiti Anmer, Ting'ang'a ward, and harassing their representatives by having them arrested over trumped up charges.
A meeting in which they were to elect new representatives on Friday was cancelled in the last minute by police and local administration officials who also arrested their chairman Philip Makau.
He was later booked at Kiambu police station for allegedly organising an illegal meeting. The move drew the ire of residents who called for his immediate release.
The squatters told journalists that wealthy people have dubiously acquired a large chunk of the 419 acres of forestland which former President Daniel arap Moi had, in 1996, ordered cleared and allocated to squatters working in local coffee plantations and surrounding communities.
But more than a quarter of a century later, the area is yet to be degazetted as a forest although all the trees were cut down and people began tilling the land and put up dwelling and commercial structures.
“We are orphans of President Moi who listened to our plight and gave us an opportunity to own land. We request President Ruto to expedite the settlement process since we still live on this land without ownership documents. Some wealthy individuals are leaving nothing to chance to drive us out of this land," Makau told journalists moments before being arrested.
Residents lamented that a number of their semi-permanent houses and toilets were demolished after orders from "well-connected individuals", whom they accuse of hatching a plot to evict them.
"The individuals behind our woes are using all means to deny us our rights and justice,” resident Ngugi Gitahi said.
Early last year, the Parliamentary Committee on Land and the National Land Commission visited the area and recommended that the status quo remains, meaning that those already occupying the land be settled there.
“Around 1998, the then Kiambu County Council started settling outsiders on the shamba which we were already cultivating. Those who were brought in started selling their parcels to rich and well-connected people," resident Mary Kimani said.
The squatters want President Ruto to degazette the forest land and have them settled without further delay. They said most of their parents who were the initial beneficiaries have since passed on.
In a Kenya Gazette notice dated January 17, 2017, Nema invited members of the public to air their views on an environmental impact assessment report it was compiling regarding a request by the squatters association for the degazettement of the forest.
Earlier, drama ensued when residents protested a raid at a local bar by chiefs who broke into the premises using crowbars and axes before carting away dozens of cartons of liquor.
The move did not go down well with residents who unsuccessfully attempted to rescue one of them from arrest, accusing the administrators of malice.
