Naivasha farmers call for review of land compensation terms

Construction of the 436km power transmission line from Loiyangalani to Suswa hangs in the balance after affected farmers in Naivasha pulled out of an agreement with Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco).

The line is part of the Sh70 billion wind project that will see 3,000mw from Lake Turkana connected to the national grid.

Addressing the Press in Naivasha yesterday, the over 100 farmers from Nyamathi, Mwiciringiri and Karai accused Ketraco of making decisions without involving them. They called for a review of the agreement.

Incidentally, majority of them are peasants who were evicted from different parts of the country during the 1992 tribal clashes.

One of the farmers, Julius Kimani, said the compensation they got did not match the size of the arable land being taken away from them.

Mr Kimani, who was evicted from Enoosupuki, noted that of his two acres, the power line would transverse 0.89 acres.

"I got Sh327,000 and I wonder where in Naivasha I can get arable land for that amount of money," he said.

He noted that negotiations had been going on for over four years and called on Ketraco to review the compensation fee. 

David Njuguna, another farmer, said majority of the farmers were in the dark over the issue.

Left landless

He said the 60m way leave trace for the line was too wide.

"Many of us have very small parcels of land and when 60m is taken from us when we have large families, it means we are left landless," he said.

Nakuru County Assembly Majority Leader Samuel Waithuki agreed with the farmers and accused some Government institutions of oppressing them.

"We are already having differences with the Kinangop Wind Park project and now Ketraco," he said.