Farmers society in row with members over compensation

By Munene Kamau

A row is brewing between the Kabare Farmers Co-operative Society and members over land compensation to be paid by the National Irrigation Board (NIB).

Some farmers claim the amount due for compensation was Sh110 million, but a society official and the NIB indicate the figure is Sh30 million.

The compensation was for Kaboyo coffee factory, whose land has been taken over by the Board for construction of a mega water dam at Rukenya village.

The farmers claimed society Chairman Mureu Solomon and his committee have resolved to buy land and put up a new factory without their approval.

The farmers from Kiang’ombe, Mukengeria, Kiangothe, Kiamiciri and Kiringa catchment areas are now demanding an urgent general meeting to discuss the matter.

Form of compensation

They said the compensation should be paid to them in form of dividends and no capital development should be undertaken.

Mr Kimani said even as the dam has taken Kaboyo factory land, farmers had abandoned it due to low yields.

The NIB settlement officer in charge of relocating families and institutions affected by the mega dam Julius M’Ruchiu confirmed the society would be paid Sh30 million as compensation.

“After engaging me in a heated discussion about the compensation rate, I told the committee to get an independent valuer,” the officer said.

Mr Mureu said the Sh110 million figure they were coming up with was mere speculation.

“We had an annual general meeting recently where some farmers came fuming and making all manners of allegations among them that we had been compensated Sh110 million for the factory,” he said.

During the meeting, Mureu added, a group of farmers alleged the NIB had paid us so much money they wanted some share of the huge sum at Sh10 million each.

He said the NIB was compensating an acre at only Sh750,000 and wondered how the six acres of the factory could raise Sh110 million as claimed.

“Further more, it should also be noted not the entire six acres have been affected by the dam but half of it , hence you can see why the Sh30 million figure is correct and not Sh110 million as alleged by some farmers,” he said.

Mureu also said his society and the NIB were yet to reach a final agreement over the compensation and no money had been paid so far.