Compensate us for Kisumu airport land, elders tell Swazuri

By Stephen Odindo

Kogony community elders in Kisumu have told the National Land Commission (NLC) Chairman, Mohammed Swazuri, to look into their compensation for the land they gave for the expansion of Kisumu International Airport.

The community Vice Chairman, Jacob Juma, says they have suffered over land injustices for the past 100 years since they were evicted to make way for the airport.

Juma says since 1914, the community has been tossed around by the successive governments over compensation.

“We have not been paid anything since 1914, and we demand compensation! If they will not compensate us, then they must resettle us,” expressed Juma.

Juma, who states that the community is looking for 880 acres of land, said that one previous relocation attempt had failed since the land they were to be given was already occupied.

“They lied to us that they would give us a farm, but when we went to check the parcel had already been allocated 1963 flood victims,” stated the vice chair.

He says the community is demanding compensation in terms of cash or be allocated another parcel of land for resettlement.

Swazuri, who briefly visited the elders in the outskirts of Kisumu City, promised to look into the matter.

The Secretary of the elders, Maurice Roche, says the community has received little support from the government from 1914.

“From 1914 to date things have not been working for the community,” explained Roche.

Roche went further to state that through the NLC visit, Swazuri was able to see firsthand the challenges the community was facing.

“He came her are found the community members who have been affected by this. He has seen for himself where the land we are talking about is, even the portions that have been grabbed,” Roche told Citizen Digital.

Following the visit, the elder said he hoped things would be better as they had been assured of support by the Commission.