Ministry on the spot for failure to allocate 7,000 acres of Del Monte land

The Ministry of Lands has been put to task for failing to implement a resolution of parliament to allocate over 7, 000 acres of land to the Kandara Residents Association.

The Committee on Implementation in 2022 directed the ministry to allocate the land which is held by the Del Monte limited to the association and the counties of Murang’a and Kiambu.

The association was to receive 70 per cent while the counties were to share the remaining 30 per cent.
However, the ministry has refused to implement the resolution and MPs want the Cabinet secretary to appear before the Lands Committee to explain the delay.

While appearing before the Lands Committee on Tuesday the association leadership called for immediate action by the lawmakers to resolve the long-standing land dispute between the pitting them and the fruits processing firm.

The committee which is chaired by North Mugirango MP Joash Nyamoko, now wants the ministry and the National Lands Committee (NLC) to appear before to answer to the concerns raised by the association.

The association members claim to have endured historical land injustices allegedly committed by Del Monte Kenya Limited.

During the meeting, the association Secretary General Geoffrey Kairu, presented documents prepared by Real Plan Consultants, outlining the land parcels claimed and occupied by Del Monte.
Original landowners

“These documents were initially submitted as part of a complaint filed with the National Land Commission in 2019. However, the recommendations by the commission have significantly delayed, prompting the late Philip Njuguna who was the association patron to present to petition parliament to intervene,” Kairu told the committee.

According to the petition, the residents assert themselves as the original landowners, claiming that their land was unlawfully taken from them and leased to Del Monte Kenya Limited.

Upon scrutiny of the submitted documents, the committee discovered that 4,843 acres of land in Murang’a County and 2,696 acres of land in Kiambu County have been reverted back to their respective counties. However, the Kandara Residents Association did not receive its share as directed.

“Del Monte colluded with the former governors of the two counties and allocated the said land parcels without considering the association despite the fact it was us who petitioned parliament to solve the dispute,” Kairu said.