Muhammad Swazuri moves in to resolve row over ownership of Kamiti land

The National Land Commission has stepped in to end a row by five groups over the ownership of 420 acres of forest land.

NLC chairman Muhammad Swazuri on Wednesday toured Kamiti/Anmer land at Muoroto, which was previously owned by Kenya Forest Service.

He said he did so after three groups wrote to his office claiming ownership of the land.

Dr Swazuri met members of Kamiti Development Association, Muungano wa Kamiti Squatters and Kamiti Forest Association. The other two sent memorandums.

Each group said it was allocated the land by President Daniel Moi in 1996.

Kamiti Development Association Chairman Kinyanjui Macharia said Mr Moi made the announcement during a visit to the controversial Mbo-I Kamiti Land Company and directed the Lands Ministry to implement the directive.

According to Mr Kinyajui, the 1,400 beneficiaries were picked from all location in Kiambu District.

“The process was approved by the County Council of Kiambu, the lands office and the Forest Department. The land was then cleared, demarcated and allotment letters written before the process was abruptly stopped,” Mr Kinyanjui said.

He added that his team established a public primary school, a cemetery, government-funded water projects and was in the process of constructing a stadium in the farm.

DUMPING BODIES

Mr David Kibunja, who was the county council chairman between 1990 and 1996, said the allocation was done after concerns were raised that criminals were dumping bodies in the forest.

Mr PMG Kamau, who was the Kiambu County Council clerk and who served as the secretary to the committee involved in the allocation, said Kamiti Development Association was legally given the land.

“The only thing pending is the de-gazettement of the land,” Mr Kamau said and accused some officials in the county and national governments of attempting to grab it.

Mr Kinyanjui said in 2000, a group calling itself Kamiti Forest Association moved in to claim ownership of the land. Muungano Group split from it, sparking a long ownership battle.

Muungano Group Chairperson Irene Gitau said squatters who worked on the land owned by expatriates got it after the then Githunguri MP Arthur Magugu asked President Moi to give them.

She said after six years, a group of wealthy people and Kiambu County Council and national government officials invaded the land and evicted them. She said some squatters were injured.

“They destroyed our houses and property and they have ignored three court rulings in our favour,” she said.

She added that the land had been degazetted but not subdivided though farming was going on.

However, Kiambu County government officials maintained that the land was registered as a forest.

Area MP Jude Njomo said some groups were swindling unsuspecting Kenyans of their money, claiming they could sell them plots.

He said one of the groups had opened offices in Ruiru and Juja.

Dr Swazuri said the commission would study the ownership documents and the process used by the groups to acquire the land with a view of getting a solution.

“If we find that the documents and the process were legal, we will give title deeds within a month. If there were shady deals, we will revoke everything,” Dr Swazuri said.