Kajiado MCAs on spot over grabbed State land

The Ministry of Agriculture has sought the intervention of the Kajiado County government over alleged grabbing of State land in Kitengela by Members of the County Assembly (MCAs).

Land owned by the Department of Livestock in Kitengela is under threat from grabbers allegedly working in cahoots with some (MCAs).

Information made available to The Standard has it that the 30-acre piece of land off the Namanga-Athi River road is a livestock development camp set aside as a disease-free zone, which is a Vision 2030 flagship project.

According to the Director of Livestock Development Julius Kiptarus, the Kitengela Livestock Marketing Division Camp was set aside for use by the then Livestock ministry through a Government gazette Notice L.N 751 of 1963.

Mr Kiptarus said the Ministry of Agriculture has written a protest note to Governor David Nkedianye, but he has so far failed to respond. Kiptarus claimed some MCAs in Kajiado recently hired goons to bring down a perimeter fence that the State was putting up to protect the land at a cost of Sh5 million, prompting the Agriculture Cabinet secretary to write to the governor, stating that construction should continue.

The director said the camp is also a storage facility for inputs and equipment when supporting livestock keepers during emergency interventions.

"We shall not allow a few greedy individuals to encroach on land set aside for public good," he said.

He warned hawkers and squatters duped into putting up illegal constructions in return for the support of some MCAs in the last General Election to move out before they are forcefully evicted.