Alarm as brokers eye Elgeyo dam cash

Chairman of Lands Commission Mohamed Swazuri (Jenipher Wachie, Standard)

A land agency has warned Elgeyo Marakwet residents to be wary of individuals seeking a share of compensation money for property acquired by Government.

The Government, through Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA), has started building two multi-purpose dams on rivers Arorr and Kimwarer at a cost of Sh63 billion.

National Land Commission (NLC) chairman Muhammad Swazuri yesterday warned that land brokers were hoodwinking affected residents that they would negotiate premium land and property values for a cut of the payments. “There is a lot of misinformation, which instills fear among those affected since brokers are going round convincing people they are the ones who brought the commission there and will carry out negotiations in return for a commission,” said Prof Swazuri.

Swazuri spoke in Eldoret after a meeting with KVDA Managing Director David Kimosop and the residents to be relocated. Swazuri also warned that non-governmental organisations were also pretending to carry out civic education on the merits and demerits of compulsory land acquisition, terming the exercise misplaced.

“The law has given NLC the mandate on matters of land acquisition and those purporting to carry out education lack expertise on the field and residents should be wary since they will be misguided," he said.

Mr Kimosop assured families that none of them would be left out in the resettlement programme that is jointly spearheaded by the regional authority, and the national and county governments.

Joseph Chesang, a resident set to be be displaced, said brokers had been asking for up to Sh500,000 to 'negotiate' for both their property and land, adding that some unsuspecting people had committed to pay