Kisii County Assembly approves motion to reclaim grabbed land

By ERIC ABUGA 

Kisii County Assembly has approved a motion that allows it to repossess land acquired illegally.                                 

The motion has been on the floor of the Assembly since late last year and was tabled by Charles Nyagoto of Bogeka Ward. The assembly recommends that all land acquired illegally should be returned to the county government immediately.
During the debate, arguments arose of who between the National Land Commission (NLC) and the county government should investigate cases of land grabbing with the speaker ruling that the county had the right to know the size of its land to allow for service delivery and construction of county government infrastructure.

Nyamasibi Ward representative, Samson Nyagaka, who had opposed the motion, argued that it is the mandate of the NLC to investigate and table a report on public land within the county.

“Article 67 of the Constitution establishes the NLC with clear roles. This is an emotive issue in the country and we should be careful when dealing with it. We will be duplicating the role of the commission,” said Nyagaka.

Kisii Central Police is facing a serious infrastructure crisis due to a long-standing land case. Officers lack enough housing space. The county also lacks space to put up a fire station, cemetery The county lacks land to put a fire station, dumping site and to expand the matatu terminus.

Kisii Governor James Ongwae has already warned individuals residing on public land to return it before his government forcibly repossesses it.

The county government is yet to establish a specific area to construct the governor’s office and residence. Ongwae has in the past said they will be forced to buy land to put up other offices.