Parliamentary candidate Basil Criticos donates land to Taveta squatters

Basil Criticos is contesting the Taveta seat as an independent candidate.(Photo: Maarufu Mohamed, Standard)

Former Taveta MP Basil Criticos has donated over 1,000 acres to settle about 3,500 squatters.

The former assistant minister said Sunday that squatters in Eldoro, Kimorigo, Python Hill and Mrabani among other areas would benefit.

Mr Criticos is contesting the Taveta seat as an independent candidate. In 2013 he was beaten by Naomi Shaban by less than 100 votes.

"I am now back into active politics with a promising message that I will contest for the seat on a platform of land reforms and plans to empower the youth by initiating income-generating projects through small and medium enterprises," he said.

"I am the only land owner in the county who has shown interest in addressing the thorny squatter issue in the region. Other major land owners should also follow suit," he told The Standard at his farm Sunday.

Criticos warned politicians in the region against using his farm to gain political mileage in the cosmopolitan constituency.

"Some of my political rivals have been going round the county claiming that the Government would buy my land from the Agricultural Finance Corporation for failing to service a loan. They are misleading the voters," he said.