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County government kicks off Yala Swamp survey exercise

Siaya County government has kicked off the survey exercise to mark boundary between community and investor’s land in the expansive Yala Swamp.

Speaking during the commencement of the exercise at Sidundo in Usonga, the County Executive Committee Member for Lands Odhiambo Wakla said that the county government had set aside Sh2.5 million for the exercise that would see the residents of Yimbo, Alego and Usonga regain use of part of the swamp.

Wakla said that the survey exercise had been occasioned by recommendations of a task force appointed earlier by governor Cornel Rasanga, the Siaya County Assembly and a recent recommendation by the National Lands Commission that clear boundaries be established to mark the 3,700 hectares belonging to an investor at the vast swamp that traverses Siaya and Busia counties.

He said that though a private surveyor had been contracted for the exercise, both the County and national government surveyors would be involved, together with the NLC officials to ensure professionalism.

Speaking during the occasion, Central Alego Member of the County Assembly Leonard Oriaro hailed the county government for moving swiftly to commence the exercise.

He said that for decades, the community living around the swamp had been denied the opportunity to get sustainable livelihood from the vast resource.

“I am happy that the exercise will resolve a long standing conflict and peace will finally prevail between the investors and the community,” said Oriaro.

Oriaro said that the County Assembly was committed to supporting the executive to achieve its goal of demarcating the swamp.

He called on the community to support the exercise and turn up in numbers to witness the survey and erection of beacons.

Early in the week, hundreds of locals living around Yala Swamp gave the national and county governments a one week ultimatum to commence the survey and demarcation of the swamp or they invade it.

Speaking during a public meeting held at Msunguru grounds in Kadenge Ratuoro, the locals, among them four Members of the County Assembly accused some top politicians and wheeler dealers who have grabbed huge tracts of land in the swamp of frustrating efforts by the community to reclaim their land.

They said that they would use all the means possible to ensure that any investor in the swamp does not trample on their basic rights such as land ownership and the right to farm and produce food.

Oriaro had then accused Siaya governor Rasanga of taking the Yala swamp community for a ride by failing to implement the recommendations of the National Lands Commission that the area be surveyed and demarcated to create boundary between  the 3,700 hectares that was set aside for American investor, Dominion Farms Limited and the community.

By Philip Onyango

 

 

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