A section of the community in Maralal town has lost a battle in the fight for ownership of 8.7 acres to Lmutaro Primary School.
This is after officials from National Land Commission and Samburu county’s department of land jointly surveyed the disputed land and ruled in favour of the school.
Lands CEC Benedict Lentumunai said a team of surveyors from Nairobi and Samburu has responded to solve the land dispute to get rid of private developers who have encroached on the school’s land.
“We have given Lmutaro 8.7 acres that they have been claiming. The school has received money and it now want to fence its land. That is why we responded so fast to assist them. The school is free to fence the land,” he said.
Lentumunai said the county government is working with national government to safeguard public utility land that has been set aside for schools and hospitals.
It emerged that a person who claimed to be the owner of the school land does not have any official document to prove that he owns the land.
“This area is government’s land under municipality and as a government we have not planned for it, people have been illegally selling it to other people without permission,” Lentumunai said.
NLC’s county coordinator John Lolegitekoi said a plan would be prepared and forwarded to Nairobi for processing of a title deed for the school.
The chairman however said the community will protect the school’s land from private developers who are salivating to grab it.