Defence CS Aden Duale has met national and Uasin Gishu officials to resolve a stalemate on encroachment upon Eldoret military land.
The meeting on Tuesday included officials from the State Department for Lands, the Uasin Gishu government and the National Lands Commission.
The meeting at the Defence Headquarters, Nairobi, was aimed at finding a lasting solution to disputes arising from grabbing lands at Moi Barracks Recruits Training School and the Kenya Ordnance Factories Corporation in Eldoret.
Duale said the encroachment by squatters is a historical decades-long problem that needs closure by providing a lasting solution.
The issue involves about 1,200 families claiming ownership of 4,000 acres near Moi Barracks. The area is known as Kilombe Nine Farms. KDF had blocked farmers' access about two years ago and clashes erupted.
Duale said the ministry will provide alternative land to relocate the residents who have occupied critical areas near the military installation and the factory.
The CS acknowledged the work done by a technical committee tasked with finding viable recommendations, adding it should be reconstituted and expanded to involve all stakeholders and the community.
He said KDF intends to remain good neighbours with the community to enable the military to discharge their core mandate of defending and protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.
“We are requesting the community not to take a hard stance when told to move to other areas. Errors were committed in the past while allocating the land, which led to encroachment But we want to correct them and find a permanent solution,” the CS said.
Duale said there are plans to expand the factory which is hampered by the presence of squatters, adding there should not be any military-civilian disputes.
The CS also extended the term of the technical committee and expanded its membership to include officials from the county government, NLC, Attorney General, county commissioner and Turbo MCA.
He directed the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Lands, Nixon Korir, who chaired the committee, to improve the mechanisms of relocating the squatters.
The committee is to meet the CS in a month to report on the progress and the recommendations.
Present during the meeting were Defence PS Patrick Mariru, vice chief of Defence Forces Lt Gen Francis Ogolla and assistant chief of defence forces in charge of personnel and logistics (ACDF P&L) Maj Gen Muthuri Kiugu.
Others were Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii, Senator Jackson Mandago, Turbo MP Janet Sitienei, NLC chairperson Gershom Otachi and other county officials.
(Edited by V. Graham)