Squatters seek president’s help to unlock decades-old land row
By Oliver Musembi, August 16, 2023A group of squatters from Kiambu county want the government to resolve a 27-year-old land dispute, even as they elected new officials to fight for justice.
Through their newly elected officials led by the chairman Philip Makau, they reiterated their plea to President William Ruto to come to their rescue and ensure justice prevails while accusing local administrators of conspiring with land cartels to deny them their rights.
The more than 2,000 residents, who are members of Kamiti Forest Squatters Association, have been living in temporary structures on a 419-acre parcel which is still gazetted as a forest, since 1996 when former president Daniel Arap Moi directed that they be settled there.
Makau told journalists that the initial beneficiaries of the allocation were 500, but over the years, the population has grown to more than 2,000 whereas other outsiders were allocated land parcels irregularly by administrators.
The residents met and elected 13 officials to represent them, two weeks after a meeting they had planned to hold was cancelled by the administration at the last minute.
Among the new officials is the Vice-chairman Peter Kung’u, Secretary Jennifer Muthoni, Treasurer Mary Kimani and assistant treasurer Fatuma Boru.
The squatters’ Association chairman decried the harassment his members were being subjected to by local administrators and hence the need for the President to intervene.