County to recover grabbed land meant for home for the elderly

Alms House for the elderly. More than half of its land has been grabbed. [Kennedy Gachuhi, Standard]

The county’s Lands department has been directed to recover grabbed land meant for the expansion of a home for the elderly.

Governor Lee Kinyanjui said the recovery process of Alms House land had been initiated, targeting private developers, who have established homes on a bigger section of the property.

Established in 1945

The home was established in 1945 to provide a safe haven for the elderly.

For years the home’s 2.25 acres have been easy target for grabbers, leaving it squeezed on less than half-an-acre.

The encroachment of the public land has left the elderly with no space for recreation.

A part of its perimeter wall was also vandalised years ago by suspected land grabbers.

Mr Kinyanjui spoke during the ground breaking ceremony for a new residential block at the facility, which is being constructed at a cost of Sh6 million factored in the 2019/20 financial year budget.

“There will be no compromise on repossessing the grabbed land, which is approximately 2.25 acres.

This is a key facility for the less fortunate elderly members of the society, who we must protect,” said Kinyanjui.

Kinyanjui said the Department of Social Services had plans to modernise the facility to make it more comfortable for the elderly, most of whom were neglected by kin.

“Currently, the home can accommodate up to 10 persons. Under the current plan, we intend to construct a modern facility that can accommodate at least 30 people,” he said.

Kinyanjui said the home would continue providing a safe haven for the elderly.

“Owing to the changing lifestyles and rural-urban migration, some elderly persons have been left on their own.

“We need a modern home where such people can age gracefully and live with dignity,” he said.

He said in the next budget, the county would allocate more funds to modernise the facility with such inputs as a gym and creative space.