Land owners to sue county over disputed quarry

A group of land owners has threatened to sue the county government for excavating a quarry it claims ownership.

The former members of Gatarakwa Land Buying Company claimed ownership of the four-acre quarry in Kiawara along the Nyeri–Nyahururu highway.

They accused the county government of using underhand means to exploit the quarry, which they had reportedly set aside for the economic benefit of their community.

“We bought this parcel through a land-buying company and made a decision to set aside the four acres for use as a quarry, Daniel Kimani told The Standard. Mr Kimani said they should be consulted before their land is used. The former assistant chief said during the demarcation of the land, they set aside areas to establish public amenities like hospitals and schools.

Stormed quarry

“Shortly after the county government took over in 2013, they came and started excavating our quarry without consulting us,” he said.

In May, the group stormed the quarry and staged a sit-in, demanding that the county government-owned excavators and lorries leave the quarry until the issue of ownership was resolved.

Ironically, even though the ballast from the quarry was intended for building roads in the county, the roads are in a pathetic state.

“The roads in this area are in a deplorable state even though the ballast and murram is available for road works,” Kimani said.