Landowners in Suswa SGR corridor protest over delayed compensation

A section of landowners at Suswa SGR corridor demonstrating over alleged delay by NLC and Kenya Railway to pay them their compensation dues. [Robert Kiplagat/Standard]

Scores of landowners along the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) corridor yesterday held demonstrations to protest over delayed compensation by the Government.

The 78 property owners in Suswa in Narok East Sub-county paralysed operations at the construction site and accused the National Land Commission (NLC) and Kenya Railways of not living up to their expectations by failing to fulfill their pledges.

Community members, who were led by their representatives Alfred ole Poror, Simon Punyua and Stephen ole Kalempe, said it had been almost six months since the two agencies promised to pay them for their land but nothing had been forthcoming.

“We are demanding that the NLC and Kenya Railways come clear on the issue of compensation. We were promised compensation before the railway came. It is now heading to completion and we are yet to be paid yet we gave out our lands,” said Mr Poror.

The landowners also lamented over the land valuation process which they said was ‘oppressive’ owing to the intensity of the project.

They demanded that the Sh500,000-Sh1 million per acre price offer by Kenya Railways should be reviewed upwards to at least Sh7 million per acre.

“This Sh1 million is too little. Why is it that the Government is paying as high as Sh12 million per acre to landowners in Kajiado? Our lands are within Suswa town and are in the form of plots so the value should go up,” said Mr Punyua.

The landowners vowed to camp at the SGR site until their demands were heard and determined.

“We have come here with two bulls which we shall slaughter as we wait for our compensation. We want NLC chair Muhamad Swazuri to come down here and listen to our pleas as we are not going anywhere,” said Mr Kalempe.

Last year, Prof Swazuri assured hundreds of landowners affected by the SGR project in Nakuru/Narok counties that they would be adequately compensated before phase two of the project kicked off.

In his meeting with the property owners, Swazuri asked them not to speculate or be anxious on the matter.

The chair, who was accompanied by NLC commissioners Clement Lenachuru and Silas Kinoti, said the NLC had already issued land acquisition notices and that professional land valuers would soon be deployed to conduct valuation of the affected parcels.