Narok County opts for survey to stem land injustices

There is anxiety among owners of over 30,000 acre multi-national tea farms in Nandi County following National Land Commission’s gazettement of rules allowing debate on historical injustices as county embarks on survey of huge tracks of land.

In March this year in response to three complaints under reference NLC/HLI/013/2017, NLC/HLI/033/2017 and NLC/HLI/447/2018, NLC, gave the county government the mandate to survey the thousands of acres in Nandi.

In the ruling by NLC whose details were gazetted under CXXI No27 based on the complaints, the county government would also not allow for renewal of the leases unless there was a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the multi-nationals to provide public amenities.

NLC also asked that the commuting of the 999 leaseholds to 99 years and recommended that the county governments increase rent rates for benefit of its people.

The lands commission also asked the counties to adjust upwards NLC rates charged per acre from the Sh100 that the farms have been paying since the Sh100 that was set in the early 1900s.

Riding on NLC’s ruling Nandi Governor Stephen Sang has promised to lead a process to repossess some of the land whose leases had lapsed.

Sang told the Saturday Standard the land question has remained a thorny one.

“The ruling by NLC has given us an opportunity to address a sore wound of land question in Nandi; its is a herculean task but we will deal with it and bring to closure the issues of historical injustice,” said Sang.

The county government, Sang said is awaiting for the budget process before they begin the ambitious project.

“We now have a geospatial laboratory in Kapsabet that will help us map the lands.

Once we survey, we will know what is owned by who, and begin repossession,” said Sang. Following NCL’s recommendation, the county has also increased land rates in tea farms from Sh100 to Sh5000, a move that has vehemently been opposed by owners and association of tea farms.

Allan Kosgey, a director in one of the firms said increasing land rates will hurt investors. “We laud the governor for pursuing historical injustice but we should be careful on how we go about the recommendations,” said Kosgey.

Kenya Tea growers Association Chief Executive Appollo Kiarii wondered what rationale the county had to arrive at Sh5,000 per acre and said that would be tantamount to taking away 80 per cent of tea earnings per acre.

“Unless the county government is saying we no longer want investors in the region, just how do they expect farms to operate?” posed Kiarii.