Kericho town expansion; multinational companies to lose 1,000 acres

Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney

KERICHO, KENYA: Local leaders have supported plans by the county government to acquire at least 1,000 acres from multinational tea companies for the expansion of Kericho town.

Addressing local leaders at the Tea Research Foundation hall in Kericho at the weekend, Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney disclosed that the Government had formed a technical team drawn from the national and the county governments, as well as the political leadership, which will design a road-map for the land acquisition process.

Those present included Deputy Governor Susan Kikwai, Senator Aron Cheruiyot, MPs Joseph Limo (Kipkelion East), Nelson Koech (Belgut), Hillary Koskei (Kipkelion West), Japheth Mutai (Bureti), Sylvanus Maritim (Ainamoi) and Kipsengeret Koros (Soin/Sigowet).

Deputy governor Kikwai assured Kericho residents that no decision over land would be reached without public participation.

"The Constitution has placed supreme power in the hands of the people of Kenya and therefore as we walk the journey to acquire land, we will be consulting through public participation,” she said.