Governor Lenku urges the Government to rein in land cartels in Kajiado

Kajiado, Monday June 2023 26

KNA By Diana Meneto

Kajiado Governor Joseph ole Lenku has asked President William Ruto to take swift action on land cartels that are terrorizing Kajiado residents through shoddy land deals.

Speaking during an Interdenominational prayer meeting held in Ildamat Stadium in Kajiado, Lenku noted that just like the government is fighting illicit brews and banditry in other counties, it needs to fight land cartels terrorizing Kajiado residents.

Lenku remarked that most people now have a stake in Kajiado through land matters, but the Maasai are being dispossessed of their land by rogue land cartels through dubious ways.

“When there was a ravaging drought in the county, land cartels gave residents loans of up to Sh500,000 with an interest rate of 10 per cent per week. When they are unable to repay the loan, with the land’s office assistance, they dispossess individuals of their land and the men having nothing else to do end up becoming watchmen to cater for their families,” said Ole Lenku.

He added that most of the affected people do not understand the Swahili language and when they visit the National Lands Commission, they do not get help as they cannot articulate their issues well leading to their dispossession.

Ole Lenku remarked that there are Kenyans who have bought land genuinely but there are cartels who have made the peaceful Kajiado County to turn into a violent area.

“Eselenkei and Kuku group ranches have already been grabbed by brokers in partnership with the Lands Control Board and a few government land officials. Within a very short time, people are moved out of their land. That is a time bomb that will turn the county into chaos. It is causing a lot of pain and is breeding hate. Let us all act diligently, and the officials in place to work ethically as this will affect even the ones who bought land genuinely,” said Ole Lenku.

President William Ruto, his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Majority Leader of the Senate Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot, Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu, all Kajiado legislators and Kajiado Pastors and Imams attended the Interdenominational prayers.

Courtesy ; K. N. A