Former land owners decry delayed compensation by KETRACO

The construction of the Olkaria-Lessos-Kisumu power line hangs in the balance over the alleged failure by the Kenya Transmission Company (KETRACO) to compensate the affected families.

A group of farmers in Naivasha has threatened to go to court to stop the construction of the power line claiming that the electricity transmission company failed to fulfill part of the agreement.

The families now want an agreement signed between them and the company three years ago reviewed, noting that the cost of land has since risen.

The members of the Naivasha Traders Housing Co-operative told of their suffering after they were allegedly left homeless as they waited for the company to fulfill its promises.

The co-operative’s chairman Gikonyo Mariku said their woes started in 2013 when the affected farmers entered into an agreement with KETRACO that would see them get 70 percent of the compensation and the rest in three months.

“The company directed that we demolish all the houses on the intended route within the 90 days and since then we have been waiting,” Mariku said.

He added that some of the families had sought alternative land and started constructing houses while waiting for the balance so as to complete their new homes.

“The homes are semi-complete and the families are in a limbo as they cannot go back to the surrendered land and we have no option but to go back to court,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by John King’ori, who demanded a review of the agreement between them and the company, saying the price of land in the area has since appreciated.

“We want a fresh valuation of the land that will be affected by the power line as the three-year delay by KETRACO has seen the cost of land shoot up,” he said.

“Many of us are regretting the decision to enter into an agreement with KETRACO as we have been reduced to beggars yet we owned homes a couple of years back,” said Joyce Waithera, a former land owner.