Chepkwony vows to block land grabbers

Kericho; Kenya: Kericho Governor Paul Chepkwony has vowed to block unnamed influential politicians from acquiring huge tracts of land owned by multinational tea companies upon expiry of their leases.

Speaking at Kericho Teachers Training College during the coronation of Bishop (retired) Paul Leleito as chairman of the Kipsigis Council of Elders, Chepkwony accused the unnamed leaders of scheming to take over the prime land, now under tea plantations.

“Land leases for the pieces of land that multinational tea companies currently occupy are set to come to an end soon. There are some politicians who would like to grab the land and sell it in a heartbeat, but as governor, I will not allow the sale of the birthright of local residents,” he said.

The governor said upon expiry of the leases, the ownership of the land must be reverted back to the local Talai and Kipsigis communities, from whom the colonial government took the property in 1918.