Community leaders and non-governmental organisations in Ukambani have said local communities should benefit from at least 30 per cent of resources exploited in the region.

Drawn from Machakos, Makueni and Kitui, the stakeholders said the counties have sand, limestone and coal yet majority of their inhabitants continue to languish in abject poverty.

They were speaking at a forum held in Machakos town yesterday. The forum was organised by the task force mandated by the ministry of Lands to collect views from the public ahead of a formulation of the eviction and settlement bills.