Leaders and residents of Limuru constituency are planning to reclaim public lands suspected to have been grabbed.
This follows reports that public lands in the area had been grabbed, and that it might be difficult for the local community to get amenities such as halls, recreational facilities and research farms.
MP John Kiragu said they will engage the Ministry of Lands and surveyors to look into all public lands suspected to have been grabbed.
“We do not want to hear people are occupying a public land. We shall use all offices that deal with lands to know where our lands are,” he said.
“People claim that some of our lands were grabbed, we want to know the truth and what happened so that we can discuss the way forward.”
He spoke on Thursday in Ngarariga village, Bibirioni ward, when he was inspecting roads that were rehabilitated by the Kenya Rural Roads Authority.
Resident Josephine Nyambura said once the illegally acquired lands are identified, public participation needs to be conducted for residents to give their views.
“We might find some lands have been sold more than once and the third buyer has already built a home while other lands might be discovered undeveloped. Public participation will help our leaders to know what next,” she said.
Nyambura said most residents are farmers and require land to grow trees, fruits and food crops.
“We have agriculturalists as well as researchers and local farmers needs to be enlightened to add value and quantity on what they produce. I think a research land is important,” she said.
The legislator said the land problem in the region started when leaders failed to consult the public while dishing out lands while others were illegally given out.