New twist in Isiolo 'school' land row as four families call for justice

Governor Godana Doyo has been called upon to address a land dispute between Uhuru primary school and a neighbouring community.

Mr Doyo had been at the fore front when he led residents in pulling down a fence erected on the school's grabbed land and he has been hailed for this.

However, members of four families want the governor to go a step further and address ownership of about 20 acres of prime land situated along the Isiolo River next to the school.

The families, who had lived in the area since 1972, said they were evicted from the land under the guise that the plots belong to the school only for it to emerge that the land had later been sold to other people.

Forced out

The complainants: Billow Omar, Mairanyi M'ilongi, Joseph Ndegwa and Mohammed Abdow have accused former councillors of the defunct county council, businessmen and current officers in the county government of defrauding them of 14 acres.

They produced documents from the Ministry of Lands and the defunct council which they got in 2000 that show they are the genuine land owners.

According to the documents, Omar was allocated 3.5 acres, M'ilongi 3 acres, Ndegwa 3 acres and Abdow 4 acres, yet the quartet say the school administration called for their eviction and they were forced out in 2000 due to inter-clan conflict in Isiolo.

"The survey map shows a clear boundary between the school and the farmland but we were forced out and today the land belongs to individuals, not the school," said Abdow.