The Nandi county government will not extend expired 99-year leases for multi-national tea plantations until aerial re-surveying and squatter’s issues are solved.
Speaking in Kapsabet on Tuesday when he handed over 1,460 acres of land to squatters following a petition his government took before National Land commission in 2019, Governor Stephen Sang accused firms of lying on the acreages they occupy denying government much needed millions of revenue each year.
Sang revealed that one of the tea plantations illegally owned more than 8,000 acres of land which it had not declared to the government hence the need to carry out aerial survey audit.
“Nandi county government has written to NLC to ensure that firms don’t use backdoor means to have the leases renewed without government knowledge,” Sang said.
He said historical land injustices can effectively be addressed by his government through the redistribution of all expired leases of farms lying fallow to the original owners who are now squatting at the edges of hills.
“Settling the landless and squatters issues will effectively solve acts of lawlessness along the volatile Nandi/Kisumu border on issues of stock theft and to create a friendly environment for economic progression,” the governor added.
He asked that all tea firms declare and accept re-surveying of the land they occupy as directed by NLC via a gazette notice of March 1, 2020 to determine the truth.
The governor said the firms were using the 1905 map in determining the land rates yet they have expanded by 100 per cent.
“One firm has over 8,000 according to google maps, yet they went to court to block re-surveying because they know they have been lying in rates payment,” he said.
The 1,460 acres at Chemelil Sisal estate has been lying uncultivated since the expiry of the lease 15 years ago, and had been under the occupation of squatters.
Sang said just like what happened in the Delmonte farm in Murang’a and Kiambu, the government through NLC, should revert the idle land to resolve historical land injustices.
“We hope through such peaceful means in reverting back properties to the original owners without chaos, there should be no business for anyone to look for other means in addressing their issues,” he said.
Nandi county is looking for the return of over 12,000 acres in Tinderet sub-county after the 99-year leases expired and be used to solve landlessness of thousands of residents evicted by colonial administration.
Some of the farms had been leased to Asians and whites to cultivate cash crops but have since exited the areas after the expiry of the leases following the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution.
Edited by Sarah Kanyara