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Squatters living in the controv,ersial Chepyuk Settlement Scheme in Kopsiro, Mt Elgon Constituency have called on the Government to give them title deeds so that they can engage in development projects.
Led by Chepyuk ward representative Enock Ndiema, the residents said they have been asking the Government to award them title deeds since 1989 but up to date they are still waiting.
Speaking during a public forum in Kopsiro yesterday, Mr Ndiema said that for the last 26 years, they have not been able to engage in any lucrative development agenda for fear of losing their fortunes due to lack of titles.
“We want the Government to de-gazette the Chepyuk phase one and two so that residents can settle after they were allocated five acres of land each by the Solomon Ouko led task force in 2009. We have the land but we lack title deeds to prove we are genuine owners,” he said.
Kopsiro Division Land Chairman John Toroitich called on the Government to settle the integrated internally displaced persons (IDPs), who are genuine squatters.
“These people live among us but they have no land and we are asking the Government to provide funds so that they buy land and settle the way other IDPs have been settled elsewhere in the country,” he said.
Cheptais Division Peace Chairman Richard Sangula said the Government needs to handle the land issue with care to avoid a repeat of the skirmishes that hit the region between 2006 and 2008.
“The Sabaot Land Defended Force was born out of skewed division of land in the controversial Chepyuk Settlement Scheme. Let the Government come in and give residents title deeds so that they can also feel honoured and be genuine owners of land,” said Mr Sangula.
He urged the State to disarm residents who have illegal guns as they are creating fear.
Bungoma County Commissioner Mohamed Maalim refuted claims that there are over 7,000 landless people at the Chepyuk Settlement Scheme.
Resettle arrangements
Mr Maalim said about 3,000 people have been vetted and will get land once the Government embarks on arrangement to resettle them.
“Some 4,000 families have already been settled in phase one, two and three at the controversial Chepyuk Settlement Scheme and others have been settled at Patakwa Farm in Kinyoro, Trans Nzoia County,” he said.
The official said 1,500 people have benefited from Chepyuk phase one settlement scheme, 620 families on phase two and 1,732 in phase three. Those in phase three were settled in Emia.
“Squatters on phase one and two benefited from five acres each, while those who settled on phase three and the 260 families taken to Patakwa Farm in Trans Nzoia got two and a half acres of land each,” Maalim said.
He said that the delay in the issuance of the title deeds was hurting the squatters, who cannot even engage in business because they cannot even secure bank loans for lack of the all important document which can act as security.
He said the Government and the Ministry of Lands are committed to ensuring that the squatters are given title deeds to help end disputes associated with landlessness.
The administrator cautioned residents against efforts to curve off the Mt Elgon Forest to create Chepyuk phase four, saying it will not succeed because Mt Elgon remains one of the five major water towers and must be protected for biodiversity and environmental conservation.
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