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Kenya: Land to Stay in Private Hands
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The Nation (Nairobi)
4 July 2008
Posted to the web 4 July 2008
Nairobi
The Government has no plans to repossess huge parcels of private land in Central Province and hand them over to the landless.
Lands assistant minister Bifwoli Wakoli told Dr Bonny Khalwale (Ikolomani, New Ford-K), that there were eight individuals and firms that owned huge parcels of land in the province, measuring more than 1,000 hectares each.
The eight are Del Monte Corporation in Thika (3,940 hectares); Aguthi Ranching Company in Thika (1,518 hectares); Sangare Ranching Company in Nyeri North (1,167 hectares); Mitumbiri Ranching Company in Thika (7,050 hectares); South Ngariama Ranching company in Kirinyaga (7,034 hectares); Weruini Lands Ltd in Laikipia (3,170 hectares) in Laikipia; Ol Pejeta Ranching Ltd in Laikipia (1,334 hectares) and Kagaa Farmers Ltd in Murang'a (1,067 hecatres.)
But Mr George Thuo (Juja, PNU) rose on a point of order and accused Dr Khalwale of being cheeky by asking the minister to repossess the land owned by Del Monte Corporation, which is one of the eight named, and give it to the landless, saying that would be incitement.
Said the PNU MP, who is also the chief whip: "Mr Speaker sir, should the member be allowed to incite the people of Juja who are residents of Thika Town to invade private property while Del Monte has also been leasing land around the area?"
Mr Thuo said there was some ulterior motive by the questioner.
But deputy Speaker Farah Maalim ordered Mr Thuo to withdraw the word cheeky and apologise.
Earlier, the Ikolomani MP had asked the assistant minister to explain to Kenyans why land in Central Province had been an explosive issue even before independence, leading to the Mau Mau war.
Dr Khalwale reminded the assistant minister that the outlawed Mungiki sect members were using the land question as part of their grievances to extort and engage in criminal activities.
Asked the New Ford-K MP: "Issue of a handful of people in Central Province holding huge chunks of land has been an explosive issue even before independence, we can run but not hide from the issue. What plans has the Government got to repossess some of them and resettle the landless like the Mungiki?"
In his answer, Mr Wakoli said the land was private property and the Government had no authority over them.
Internal security assistant minister Orwa Ojodeh told Mr Mohamed Affey (nominated, ODM-K) that he would liaise with Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang'ula over the disappearance of a chief inspector of police, Mr Adan Hassan Abikar, while on official duty in Liberia in August 2006.
Mr Ojodeh described the issue as sad and said a United Nations mission and a team of three government officials had investigated the matter but did not come up with the whereabouts of the officer.
But the nominated MP insisted that the Government was wrong to stop the salary and describe the officer as a deserter even before his whereabouts, or whether he was dead or alive, could be established.
Mr Ojodeh said he would order that the officer's family be allowed to use the institutional house until the matter was resolved. But he was not aware of the compensation and agreement between the Government and the UN to cover officers who travel abroad on peace missions.
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Reports by Odhiambo Orlale and Owino Opondo
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