Kwale County residents have been cautioned against the dangers of random sub-division of group ranches.
Lunga Lunga MP Mr. Khatib Mwashetani said haphazardly sub-dividing community ranches will not only affect their sustainability but also open them up to land grabbers.
“Arbitrary and premature splitting of the farms will turn them into playgrounds for grabbers and the shareholders must think twice before going that direction,” said Mr. Mwashetani.
The MP was addressing shareholders of the trouble-ridden Mwereni Group Ranch who he advised against the dissolution of the group.
He said if locals must divide up their ranches then they must do so prudently by strictly following the laid down guidelines for group ranch dissolution.
Mr. Mwashetani said keeping the ranches intact will improve their viability and also cushion locals against losing their land to grabbers.
The 43,000ha-ranch has been in the news after the shareholders clashed with a group of people from Nairobi’s Dandora Dumpsite and Kieni in Nyeri who claimed to have bought a part of the farm measuring 10 acres at Sh1.3million.
Tension griped the area when the buyers arrived in three buses ready to settle only to be turned away by locals.
Mr. Mwashetani condemned the alleged land deal and called for action against its perpetrators even as he denied claims of involvement of some elected leaders in the scandal.
By James Muchai
MP’s caution on sub-division of ranches
