Residents open new battle with Del Monte Ltd

Case between villagers and Del Monte Ltd heads to court. [Courtesy]

A group of residents has gone to court seeking a share of over 6,000 acres of land currently owned by Del Monte Kenya Limited.

The Kandara Residents Association is seeking court orders to bar Murang’a and Kiambu counties, the National Land Commission and the Attorney General from facilitating the renewal of land leases to the multinational company. 

The matter will come up before Murang’a Environment and Land Court judge Grace Kemei on Wednesday for an inter partes hearing.

The association's officials - Karira Kimara, George Njigu, Judy Wairimu and Michael Njoroge - are seeking orders to block the authorities from renewing leases to tracts of land in Kandara, Gatanga, and Thika sub-counties currently under the multinational company.

The residents have claimed that the land they are demanding to repossess was taken away from their forefathers.

The residents are pleading with the court to compel the authorities not to consider any renewal of the leases to the multinational without public participation.

This is not the first time residents have demanded a share of Del Monte land. Two years ago, ward reps passed a motion compelling Murang’a to acquire 1,000 acres from the company to put up public utilities.