Sagana residents received a temporary relief after the government stopped their eviction pending for the formation of a committee to sort out their land issues.
There has been a hue and cry from the affected families after the National Youth Service moved into the area and started erection of posts almost cutting off the entire Sagana town.
Kirinyaga County Commissioner Jim Njoka speaking on behalf of the government at Sagana town after a day-long closed-door meeting with the area leaders said there has been a resolve to stop further demolition by the Kenya Railway.
Njoka said a committee involving all the stakeholders has been created which would in turn operate a desk where those affected would register their complaints.
He said the residents would be required to attach copies of the appropriate ownership documents to the complaint desk and a copy to the county commissioner.
He said the document would be used to provide a solution and establish the genuine land owners who may be compensated in the event they were required to surrender their properties.
“We want the people to live in peace and continue conducting their businesses with very minimal interferences from the ongoing rehabilitation of the railway line in this place,” Njoka said.
He said the project should be seen as a blessing and an opportunity for the people to prosper and not anything working against their progress.
“Sagana is at the central point of the railway line from Nairobi to Nanyuki meaning many investments will come along to Sagana. Business people should take advantage of this opportunity to grow whether big or small,” he noted.
The administrator said the residents should take care of the railway line which had been reconstructed with the taxpayers’ money adding that he was happy that residents had kept their peace.
The chairman Jubilee party Murithi Kangara whose property had also been marked for demolition said he was happy that the people kept their peace and gave the government time to resolve the matter.
He said police should stop harassing the members of public who use the railway ground to access their places of work.
“The problem will be addressed and now that there is no bad blood between the Railway and the public, the police should not continue to obstruct the people,” he said.
County Executive Committee Member for Urban and Lands Development Samuel Kanjobe, who represented the governor, said that Sagana town has been identified as an industrial town in a 15 year development blueprint plan.
“Many employment opportunities will arise from this railway line as a result of the rice growing in Mwea, Kenya Grain Growers Corporation Union (KGGCU) stores based in Sagana and the fish breeding center currently undertaking training of fish farmers in the country,” he noted.
Kanjobe said Governor Anne Waiguru pushed for the location of the main station to be situated at Sagana for the 240-kilometer-long railway.
He also urged those who had not paid the land rates to pay in order to avoid repossession of their lands.
By Dorris Wanyagia/ Ann Wanjiru
