November 27, 2024

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CS directed to settle Kandara residents on Del Monte land

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Parliament has directed that 7,449 acres of land held by Del Monte Fruit Processing Company be surrendered to Kandara Residents Association.

Further, MPs have directed the Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney to reverse her decision to allocate the land to Kiambu and Murang’a county governments in 60 days.

 National Assembly’s Committee on Implementation of House Resolutions in a report tabled yesterday, said the lease for L.R No 12158 that resulted from amalgamation of several parcels should be reverted back to the government and declared public land.

 “The land in question should revert to the government within 60 days of adoption of its report for it to be allocated to the rightful owners, “ruled the committee chaired by Narok North MP Moitalel Ole Kenta.

Expedite resurvey of Del Monte's land, Director of Survey told – Kenya News  Agency

The ministry had in total disregard to findings of the committee allocated the land to the two counties as opposed to MPs’ resolution that the parcel be allocated in 70- 30 basis.

 The committee had directed that the resident’s association who had petitioned parliament to intervene, benefit from 70 per cent of the land found to be public land with the counties getting the remaining 30 percent.

“The Ministry of Lands in consultation with the National Land Commission should allocate the land excised from Del Monte Kenya Limited to Kandara Residents Association and County Governments of Muranga and Kiambu in the ratio of 70:30, as per the National Land Commission’s gazette notice 1995 of 2015,” the committee said in a report.

The committee probed the implementation of recommendations of the Lands committee which questioned how Del Monte Kenya acquired more than 2,900 acres of land that had been surrendered to the government in 1973.