More than 1,000 members of the Nyakinyua land buying company have petitioned the Ministry of Lands to intervene in an ownership row of their parcel in Mai Mahiu, Nakuru county.
The members who include elderly women who at one time entertained former President Jomo Kenyatta have alleged that the over 15,000 acres have been taken over by some influential traders.
Under the Kiambu-Nyakinyua farmers company limited, the women claim that over 80 per cent of the land has been sold for use around the multi-billion Naivasha industrial park.
The land-buying company was formed in the early 70s by 1,403 women and to date, they are yet to receive title deeds despite a court order establishing that they are bona fide members.
According to Lydia Njung’e whose mother was a member of the company, the cartel had taken advantage of the SGR and the industrial park to sell the land to investors.
Speaking during a peaceful demonstration over the row, she said cartels claiming to be directors of the company had gone ahead to dispose of the land, locking out the real members.
“This company was started by our parents, many of whom have died and some few individuals who claim to be the directors have sold over 80 per cent of the land,” Njung'e said.
While calling on the ministry to intervene, Njung’e said they had share certificates but the new buyers had been issued with title deeds in unclear circumstances.
“None of the original members have received a title as the so-called directors are demanding Sh435,000 as fees to process the documents and we cannot afford this,” she said.
Similar complaints were raised by Samuel Mbatia who said a big portion of the land had been taken over by SGR and the ongoing expansion of the industrial park.
“All the directors of this company were women but the ones in office now are men and are sub-dividing parts of the land and selling it,” he said.
Another farmer Patrick Kamau narrated their pain as they continued to live in rented houses and bury their parents in cemeteries despite their parents using all their savings to buy the land.
“We have waited for over 50 years to get our parents land only to learn that some directors are openly selling it to investors as the real members suffer,” he said.
Mai Mahiu senior chief Zacharia Igeria who was present admitted that the farm had a troubled history that was yet to be fully resolved.
“Members of this group have been in and out of courts for many years and we cannot interfere with the court process,” Igeria said.
-Edited by SKanyara
