Moi University workers yesterday demolished a fence around a Sh30 million disputed land near the Eldoret airstrip.

There was drama as the workers led scores of irate youths in bringing down the fence that was erected last night.

Moi University and Eldoret Water and Sanitation Company (ELDOWAS) claim ownership of the land.

It took the staff members and youths who were armed with metal bars one hour to demolish the fence before leaving after completing their mission.

Armed administration police watched the unfolding drama from a distance.

Led by Alice Opija, the workers said they acquired the land under the Moi pension fund scheme over 30 years ago and have title deeds.

“We have all legal ownership documents to this property and we challenge the management of ELDOWAS to produce their title deed if indeed the land belongs to them,” said Opija.

Last week, the workers stormed the same parcel of land and pulled down a fence that had been erected by a contractor who had been hired by ELDOWAS.

The workers accused the water company management of laying claim to the land without showing any ownership documents.

In his rejoinder, Eldowas Managing Director Lawrence Tanui insisted that the said prime plot belongs to the company.

He said the land had been reserved for the construction of a storage water tank.

He, however, admitted that the water company has no ownership documents to the property, noting that plans were underway to acquire the title deeds

“Right now we do not have a title deed for the land earmarked for the storage of the water tank but we have put in place the process to acquire an ownership document for the property which was under the defunct Eldoret municipality,” stated Tanui.

He accused the Moi University workers of taking the law into their hands by pulling down the fence.

“It would have been wise for the aggrieved staff members to come to my office for dialogue instead of causing damage worth thousands of shillings to the company’s property,” added Tanui.

Uasin Gishu County Police Commander Benjamin Mwanthi said that he was not aware of the land ownership row to warrant deployment of officers to the site.