Kajiado county government repossesses land from Tana and Athi River Development Authority

Tarda farm manager Mr Sammy Muringe (front) being surrounded by the Kajiado County Council askaris shortly after they invaded the piece of land that its lease has expired. (PHOTO: PETERSON GITHAIGA)

The county government has repossessed land from Tana and Athi River Development Authority (Tarda) following expiry of its lease.

At least 100 county askaris led by Lands executive Hamilton Parseina and his Agriculture counterpart Moses ole Narok, moved to the farm in Emali, along the Kajiado Makueni border, and secured it in an operation that took two hours.

Upon arrival, the askaris were ordered to take positions at the compound where offices are located and to make sure that no employee left with any item, only to realise that they had already left.

The more than 25 workers at the 1,850-acre farm had disappeared, leaving only  project manager Sammy Muringe behind.

"We are here to take over the management of this farm from today since your organisation has failed to pay even a single cent to the county government and at the same time your lease has expired," said Mr Parseina.

"I’m sorry I cannot hand over Government property without authority from my seniors. You will have to wait until I get communication from the head office in Nairobi," Mr Muringe replied.

Parseina told The Standard that Tarda had been operating on the land for 30 years without paying a single penny to the former Olkejuado County Council and later the county government.

Tarda leased the land on September 1, 1987 from the then Olkejuado County Council under “mysterious circumstances", a matter that is now the subject of an investigation.

Parseina said the lease expired on August 31 and the county government gave them notice to revert the land.

“Tarda was requested to vacate the property within 21 days. Notice was dated September 25. After failing to do so, we decided to evoke the governor’s order this evening,” he said.

They said the 21 days they had given Tarda were enough to pack up and leave. Tarda management was not immediately available for comment. 

The County executive said the county government had set aside Sh40 million to develop the property. He said the county would produce hay.

Parseina said the devolved unit would harvest the hay for use during drought to save farmers from the agony of buying dry grass at exorbitant prices from outside the county.