Chinese firm accused of exhuming bodies in Kiteta as land row rages on

Kiteta, a village situated in Kyatune location, Kitui south and which sits on a 500 acre land, is occupied by 38 households with a population of about 350 people.

Their 19-year cry for justice over land wrangles drew attention as one tycoon from the area is alleged to be forcing them to vacate the village.

Their agony worsened after the sale of a graveyard belonging to one late Mutuku Mutunga.

“Skulls among other body parts of human skeleton from different dead bodies used to be ferried daily by the (Chinese company) trucks to the construction site of the road, something that we feel is a disgrace and disrespect of the highest order to the dead,” one of the neighbours said.

The tycoon claimed its possession and sold the land to a Chinese company Synohydro, which is constructing the Kibwezi-Kitui road.

The graveyard is said to belong to the family of the late Mutuku Mutunga and accommodates 36 graves; some of them have been destroyed.

The late Ngenea Mutuku, who was the third wife of the deceased, had been in court battling for the full ownership of the land; the case is however still ongoing.

Ngenea’s skeletons were reportedly among those that were exhumed at the grave site.

Before her demise, the court had ruled in her favour, granting her full ownership of the land.

The verdict which was issued on June 26, 1991, determined a ruling that was signed by then Mutomo District Commissioner Mr. Martin Oloo among other four key witnesses whose signatures were appended.

Despite the court ruling, the battle over the land reemerged with the tycoon who went on to involve the members of the  clan but they ruled in favour of the widow.

After further interrogations, Citizen Digital established that the death of Mutuku Mutunga and his first two wives may have motivated the tycoon to ignite battle for ownership of Kiteta village.

Miss Mukai, one of the residents, said up to today she is still mourning the loss she incurred after all her 14 houses were razed to the ground.

“The paid goons who razed my home forced my husband to vacate our ancestral land, a situation that forced me to move to court to see whether justice could be found to relieve our pain, but we never reached any solution, I think the truth may have been compromised,” Mukai alleged.

Maria Mutuku is the only remaining family member from the home who has been left to follow the matter.

She has also pleaded with the government to intervene and ensure her children have a place to call home.

When Citizen Digital approached Synohydro Company over the claims on the controversial piece of land, the manager Mr. Li denied any knowledge of the issue.

Mutomo deputy County commissioner Jacob Ouma also said that the matter had not been reported to his office.

He however said he would follow up the matter and attempt to reconcile the rival parties.