40-year battle between Karume and coffee pickers

The late Njenga Karume

If Norah Fangor was alive today, she could explain to court to whom she sold an expansive 518 acres of land worth more than Sh3 billion in Kiambu County.

But the dead tell no tales. The woman sold the land, left for Malindi where she died leaving two warring factions;one led by former powerful Minister Njenga Karume against some coffee pickers.

Four decades and four regimes later, the dust is yet to settle.

In fact, the fight started during Kenya's first President Jomo Kenyatta's reign, spilled to President Daniel arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki and now President Uhuru Kenyatta's regime.

The pickers first sought intervention from President Jomo Kenyatta. When it did not work, they turned to courts.

The war on Kiu River farm involves Gitamaiyu Trading farmers and Nyakinyua Mugumo Kiambaa company.

Gitamaiyu group claimed they bought the expansive land.

They went after Karume, during Mzee Kenyatta's reign who summoned him (Karume) to State House in Nakuru to give an explanation on what was happening.

According to court papers filed before Appeal Judges Hannah Okwengu, Festus Azangalala and Fatuma Sichale, 600 members formed Gitamaiyu.

"Most of these people are landless," a letter attached to court documents complaining about Karume read in part.

SELL LAND

In the letter dated August 15, 1977, authored by Francis Da gama Rose and Company advocates and signed by the then Gitamayu chairman Njuguna Kaguima, treasurer Charity Wanjiku and secretary Peter Waruinge, it was alleged that Norah offered to sell her land for the first time in 1973 at a cost of Sh1.5 million.

She allegedly raised the price one year later, in 1974, to Sh2 million. Gitamayu members claimed they accepted the new terms.

The cracks on the land started to show between the members and the politician in 1975 when he (Karume) allegedly paid Norah Sh268,000, as ten per cent deposit.

In February, 1977, Gitamayu allegedly signed a sale agreement on the land but, without transfer since Norah failed to sign land consent forms.