President William Ruto has said his government will find a solution to the East African Portland Cement Company land problem.
Ruto said his administration will work with the Machakos County Government led by its CEO Wavinya Ndeti to ensure that the long-time woes between some residents who have occupied parts of the land and the cement grinder’s management were amicably solved.
“We will solve your land problems, your governor and other leaders already have an appointment with the Lands CS. You will be issued with your land title deeds,” Ruto said.
He addressed the public at Makadara shopping centre in Athi River, Machakos County on Friday.
“Na ile shida tuko nayo pale Portland, tutatatua. Tutahakikisha ya kwamba hakuna mtu anatoka hapa akiwa amekasirika. Tunataka tukubaliane vile hiyo kazi itafanyika kwa utaratibu na heshima,” Ruto said.
Ruto was responding to Ndeti’s plea to him help solve the long-standing land problems during his reign as the Kenyan fifth president.
“We don’t mind privatization of the plant. But, on land issues, let’s sit down and talk because there are our people there. We don’t oppose development,” Ndeti said.
She said the government had indicated that it wants to implement some development on the land whose parts had been settled on by locals.
“Tukae chini na nyinyi tumalize hi maneno kwa sababu watu wanauana ovyo ovyo kwa sababu ya hizi mashamba. Please, let’s bring this matter to an end during your tenure,” Ndeti said.
The Machakos County CEO said Land Registry moved from Machakos to the Ministry of Lands headquarters in Nairobi should be returned to Machakos.
She claimed some land cartels were generating title deeds from Nairobi while the real land owners had nothing to show ownership documents thereby losing their parcels to the cartels.
Ndeti said companies operating at the Export Processing Zone in Athi River should consider hiring Machakos County residents.
She said the majority of those who get employed in the zone were ‘outsiders’.
She asked the President to intervene so that a gate be opened on Machako’s side of the zone stating that investors remit taxes to Machakos County while its main entrance is located in Kajiado County.
Export Processing Zone, Athi River is located in Machakos County.
Machakos deputy governor Francis Mwangangi lauded Ndeti’s sentiments on the zone stating that workers have a hard time accessing it due to the location of its main entrance.
“The EPZ gates should be opened on the Mavoko side to help grow Athi River town alongside Makadara market,” Mwangangi said.
Mwangangi thanked the president for appointing two Cabinet Secretaries from the Ukambani region.
“We thank you our president. In the last 15 years we have never flown national flags, here we have two CSs from the Ukambani region,” he said.
Ruto said his government will unite the country so that Kenyans move forward together.
“Hakutakua na ubaguzi wa aina yoyote. Mambo ya siasa tumemaliza, hakuna mambo ya mrengo hi ama ile. Sisi wote ni ndugu moja wa Taifa moja, taifa la Kenya."