The government has vowed to repossess all grabbed public land in order to create enough spaces for the establishment of proposed major government projects including affordable housing, Economic Processing Zones (EPZ) among other essential amenities, Interior and National administration Cabinet Secretary Professor Kithure Kindiki has said.
Prof Kindiki while putting on notice all grabbers of public land in the country said the government will deal firmly with the grabbers by not only repossessing the land but also having them arrested and prosecuted.
Speaking while on a tour to launch various government development projects in Thika town, the CS said land grabbers will not be tolerated as they have denied the government land for launching important projects thus denying citizens’ services.
The CS who was accompanied by Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a said land grabbing has been a thorn to every administration saying the crooks have been colluding with officials from the Lands Ministry to steal from the government.
“Land grabbers are no different from terrorists as they have not only taken land for important projects but have also hindered the government from providing those services. We will deal with these crooks firmly,” he said.
During the tour, he opened Thika’s Biashara Location Chiefs Office and launched the construction of a police division headquarters at Ngoingwa estate which has been invaded by grabbers some of whom are current and former politicians as well as government officials.
MP Ng’ang’a said she will lead residents in identifying all grabbed government spaces and have them repossessed.
She at the same time lashed out at Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi claiming that he is keeping mum when open spaces are being grabbed.
The legislature divulged that courageous land grabbers with impunity had held the government hostage for long following a rising wave of land grabbing cases in her constituency.
This she claimed had triggered a public outcry with residents blaming the local and national government for not responding to their concerns.
“I will lead my constituents into bringing down illegal buildings erected in my constituency and repossess the land. Owners of grabbed land should start the process of demanding a refund from whoever sold the land to them,” she said.
By Muoki Charles
