Vacate or face arrest, gov’t warns squatters in Mwea

The government has ordered residents who have settled illegally in land belonging to Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) in Mwea constituency, Kirinyaga County to vacate with immediate effect or face arrest.

The residents are believed to have occupied 12 acres on the 40-acre piece of land meant for construction of the biggest research center in Africa, funded by both the Kenyan and Japanese governments to the tune of Ksh100 million.

Efforts by area MP Peter Gitau to remove the illegal dwellers were in vein as the squatters threatened KALRO officials who had been instructed to remove them from the land.

According to the lawmaker, the grabbers are enjoying the backing of some officials in the Mwea National Irrigation Board (NIB) who he alleges are responsible for their settlement on the land.

Mwea East Sub-county Deputy County Commissioner Geoffrey Taragon has issued an order for every activity to come to a stop until a lasting solution in the matter is found.

“Any person who was allocated land here should vacate immediately or face the wrath of the law. We have decided that every activity going on should stop until such a time when a solution to wrangles between KALRO and Mwea NIB has been found,” he said.