MP wants displaced persons settled on Del Monte land

Kangema MP Peter Kihungi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The debate surrounding Del Monte land in Murang'a has taken a new twist after an MP proposed that a section be reserved for over 1,000 persons who will be displaced by the Maragua Four Dam.

Kangema MP Peter Kihungi wants families from his constituency who will be affected by the construction of the Sh45 billion dam to be allocated land.

Speaking on a vernacular radio station, Kihungi said it would be prudent for the people of Kangema to be resettled after surrendering their land for the construction of the dam that will supply water to lower Murang'a.

This comes a week after President William Ruto ordered Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata to speedily resolve the Del Monte land conflict.

"The people in the lower part of Maragua will have enough water while our people are displaced thus the need for them to be considered to benefit from the Delmonte land," said the MP.

In the past two months, there has been a tug-of-war between the county government and a residents' association over 1,400 acres of land.

The residents blocked the county from putting up a hospital on the land.