Politicians, local officials accused of grabbing plots on disputed land

Affected families showing the graves of their relatives at Mumias Cultural centre in a disputed land in Mumias Triangle on June 16, 2019. [Benjamin Sakwa]

Politicians and local administrators also own land in the disputed Mumias Triangle, it has been claimed.

Emulushi Association Chairman Musa Ndaliro told the The Standard some senior officials of the county government, three parliamentarians and two Members of County Assembly have allocated themselves plots on the disputed land.

“A former commissioner at the National Lands Commission, a top official from the defunct Transition Authority, officers from the Interior ministry and some members of the Kakamega Lands Task Force Committee that recommended for our eviction have also been allocated plots on the disputed land,” said Mr Ndaliro.

700 households

The county government is planning to evict over 700 households from the 412-acre land.

The residents have asked the National Land Commission (NLC) to move in and investigate the politicians and local administrators over the matter.

NLC former Vice Chairperson Abigael Mbagaya, in a letter addressed to Mr Oparanya, had stated that land does not belong to the Government.

“The commission has studied the documents you presented and would like to notify you that the commission does not have records of the acquisition of land for the extension of Mumias town," read part of the letter dated January 20, 2014.

Mr Ndaliro claimed the 412 acres is sub-divided into 3,296 plots.