The Embu Ward Representatives have threatened to summon top County Lands Officials over Mbeere Community Land.
According to Minority Leader, Lenny Masters, Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority (TARDA) had donated tens of acres of land to the community in Kiambere and Muminji wards, but the County Government was too reluctant to claim ownership or hand it over to the Mbeere people.
Masters noted that failure to claim the donated land would mean that some individuals may illegally own the land since TARDA will have relinquished ownership, but the County Government will not have taken up the land on behalf of the Mbeere community.
Masters who is also Kiambere MCA wondered why Governor Wambora’s administration was quiet when residents demonstrated to claim for their rightful share of land from TARDA.
“This is contrary to other counties where political leaders are always at the frontline to wrestle for community land from corporate entities,” he noted.
Masters was responding to a query as to when the people of Ngiiri market would get allotment letters for the land they occupy as asked by Muminji MCA Newton Kariuki.
Kariuki also claimed that the TARDA Managing Director had personally expressed willingness to hand over the Ngiiri Market land to the County Government, but said the head of the lands docket would not answer phone calls, neither was he physically available to hold a ceremony to mark the takeover of the said land.
The Deputy Speaker, Steve Simba lamented that the County Lands docket was slow in buying land for public social amenities.
Simba, who is Runyenjes Central MCA revealed that he was holding Sh. 4.5 Million for purchase of land for construction of a dispensary in his ward because a land seller was available, but the County Executive Committee Member, Josphat Kithumbu was not ready to make the purchase.
Simba demanded for summoning of the CEC Member before the whole Assembly to answer to questions on land matters in the county.
The Evurore MCA, Duncan Mbui expressed discontent with the slow pace of acquisition of land for public facilities.
He said he had set aside Sh. 5.5 Million for purchase of land in 2017, but the County Executive was not ready to release the money.
By Kimani Tirus
