National Land Commission gives three month notice to land grabbers

National Land Commission chairman Mohamed Swazuri and the vice chair Abigael Mbagaya. [Photo:COLLINS ODUOR/Standard]

The National Land Commission (NLC) has issued a three month notice to four land grabbers illegally occupying a school land in Keiyo South Sub County.

The four families are illegally occupying a 12-acre piece of land belonging to Kamosong primary school.

"By notice of this letter we are directing you to surrender the said piece of land since we have established it belongs to the school," read the NLC letter in part which was copied to the land registrar, the local administration and the concerned parties.

It further stated that action will be taken against them if they fail to heed the directive as ordered.

Keiyo South deputy County Commissioner Esther Mwamure said the directive follows a successful petition by the school management and the community together with the state counsel after attempts to recover the land from the families proved futile.

"The action by NLC is a breakthrough to us because we are grappling with rampant land grabbing targeting schools in the region. We are optimistic the other unresolved cases will be expedited by the commission," said the administrator.

She said the families had been relocated by the government when they agreed to surrender land for setting up the schools but returned to occupy the same pieces of land.

"Over 10 learning institutions have been forced to abandon plans of developing the facilities because land grabbers have taken their property and we hope the land commission will assist us in reclaiming the plots," said Mwamure.

She said the Government will support the Commission in the exercise and ensure all schools in the entire Keiyo South repossess grabbed land.

Kamosong Primary Headmaster Priscah Changwony confirmed the school had halted expansion plans after land invaders refused to vacate the school property even after receiving compensation from the government.