Families affected by the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) railway line in Mai Mahiu area of Nakuru county are  accusing the government of failing to compensate them.

The families face a second displacement after the State moved in to reclaim more land to pave way for the Meter-Gauge Railway from Mai Mahiu to Longonot town.

The families complained even as it emerged a blame-game is ongoing between officers from Kenya Railways and the National Land Commission (NLC) on the pending compensation.

Three years

Three years ago, NLC took parcels of the land for the SGR project but affected families are yet to be compensated.

According to Joseph Gathuita, the land commission was back demanding more land for the extension of the meter-gauge railway.

He accused government officers of taking them in circles for three years.

“We gave way for the SGR three years ago and they now want to take the remaining land for the meter-gauge railway line and we will not allow this,” he said.

Njeri Njoroge accused the government officers of taking advantage of their poverty not to compensate them.

She called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene.

“We don’t know who to turn to as we are being displaced for the second time and our forefathers’ graves taken and this is unfair and inhumane,” she said.

Jeremiah Nyaga said they had all the necessary legal documents after valuation was conducted three years ago.

He pointed an accusing finger at the government officers and vowed not to allow the new railway line to pass through their farms unless they are compensated.

“We have been waiting for years to be compensated for the loss incurred when SGR passed through our farms but instead we are being pushed out for the new railway line,” he said.

Nakuru County Commissioner Erastus Mbui said the government intended to first establish the real owners and the value of the land before releasing the money.

He  assured the affected families that they would receive their dues once the verification exercise was complete.