Ngong’ residents accuse church of construction on graves

KAJIADO COUNTY: Trouble is brewing at Embul bul village in Ngong, Kajiado County, following allegations that the area’s public cemetery land has been grabbed by a church.

Wednesday, area residents held a peaceful demonstration demanding that the land be given back to the community.

The irate residents who withstood the chilly morning weather to present their grievances carried placards and waved twigs marching for more than three kilometres from Embul bul Chief’s office to the cemetery ground.

The locals including those living in informal settlements within Ngong claimed that, initially the community allowed the ACK Church, Ngong diocese to put up a church in early 80s but the church has been edging them out bit by bit.

They claim that the church has even put up structures on top of some grave, while a private school and a residential house has also been constructed within the grave land.

Led by Mr Solomon Kinyanjui, the residents demanded that the County Government repossess the land and gives it back to the community as they have nowhere to bury their dead.

‘’This land was demarcated many years ago by the then Olkejuado County Council, now the Kajiado County Government, for the use a cemetery. It is shocking to see that the church that had been welcome by the community could illegally take the same piece of land’’ said Mr Kinyanjui.

He accused the church leaders for taking advantage of the situation by allegedly grabbed the community land knowing very well it was set aside for cemetery.

‘’Where do we bury our dead? This is where we have been burying our people, we have no money to buy a cemetery elsewhere’’ posed 70 year old Naomi Gatheru who have been living in Embul bul for twenty years.

However, the church maintains that it is the community that has been encroaching on the church’s land. They church said it owns the 0.9 Ha piece of land allocated to it by then Olkejuado County council for a 99 years lease.

Armed with a Title deed Vicar Rev Stephen Mbui Kamau told The Standard that the land in question belonged to the church and had legal documents from the Kajiado County Government.

‘’If the community is sure that they own this land, let them produce their documents, this issue has been politicized and that’s why we are saying it is only the court that can resolve this matter’’ Said Rev Kamau.