Petitioners claim Del Monte sits on land acquired illegally

Lands CAS Gideon Mung'aro during the hearing of a petition filed by Kandara Residents Association. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Residents of Murang’a County have accused Del Monte, a multi-national fruit processor, of holding thousands of acres of idle land.

Kandara Residents Association told National Assembly’s Lands Committee chaired by Rachael Nyamai that the firm was only utilising 7,000 acres, leaving 15,000 idle.

They insisted that the firm acquired the land illegally more than five decades ago.

Documents tabled by the Lands Ministry indicate that the firm sits on 2,900 acres, while documents tabled by the petitioners indicated 22,000 acres. The discrepancy emerged when Lands Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Gideon Mung’aro appeared before the committee.

The association’s chairman, Philip Kamau, told the MPs that it wants some 8,000 acres taken by the firm in the 60s returned.

“The firm has been using thousands of acres acquired illegally since documents available show that the land in question is public,” Mr Kamau told the committee.

The association further said that the firm was not qualified to renew its lease, arguing that a foreign firm is not entitled to enjoy “pre-emptive right of extension of lease.”

Kamau also claimed that the firm has been providing misleading information indicating that it was locally owned.

The association tabled documents showing that all the directors of the firm were from South Africa, the United Kingdom and Greece. 

Kamau told the committee that the association would provide evidence to confirm that the only claim to ownership that the firm has on the land it occupies are agreements. 

The MPs, however, criticised the association for failing to prove that Murang’a county government had renewed the lease in favour of Del Monte

“The petition fails in the fact that you cannot prove the county government has approved the lease contrary to the Constitution,” said Ms Nyamai. 

The association defended the petition, saying the National Lands Commission had recommended the land be surveyed afresh and the surplus reverted to the public.

The petitioners further told the committee that the Supreme Court gave an advisory opinion that locals must be involved before any lease can be renewed.

Del Monte’s land lease in Kiambu County expires at the end of this year, while the one in Murang’a expires in 2022.