School cries foul as grabbers take its land

It is a popular primary school in Eldoret with a population of over 1,000 pupils and has been performing excellently both in academics and co-curricular activities.

The school has a huge potential to expand due its proximity to the urban centre, growing population of children boosted by Free Primary Education and sufficiency of teaching staff besides the size-able land it legally owns.

As per the title deed, Uasin Gishu Primary School owns 18 acres of land in the Prime West Indies Estate, but its potential to expand is retarded by the fact that more than eight acres of its land has been grabbed.

Samuel Karitu, chairperson of the school, says all the teachers' quarters are currently occupied by strangers. Private developers have been accused of establishing commercial and residential premises on the land.

"Unknown individuals have erected commercial houses while Uasin Gishu High School whom we have been sharing a playing field on a mutual agreement, has fenced around four acres of the field claiming they are legal owners despite our title deed showing that the land belongs to this school," said Karitu.

The revelation came after Uasin Gishu County Land Management Board officials led by their chairman Shadrack Tulon, embarked on a fact finding mission after receiving land grabbing complaints from the institution and other schools in the area.

According to Karitu, they have been writing eviction notices to the developers since 2013 but they have ignored. 

"We wrote them a 21-days eviction notice, which has expired, they are now serving a seven day notice. The previous leadership has not shown goodwill in addressing such issues," said Karitu.