The County government of Garissa has warned private developers who have illegally encroached on grazing land between Diiso and Shimbirey in Balambala sub county, Garissa county that the law will finally catch up with them.
The county executive for lands Abdi Farah Omar who toured the area together with a number of MCAs following an outcry from area residents condemned the move by land cartels who were using bulldozers to demarcate the grazing land.
The fact finding visit by Omar and his entourage revealed that beacons had already been illegally placed at areas within Shimbirey, Modikor and Diiso.
Addressing the press after the tour Thursday, the county executive warned those involved in land grabbing that they will face the full force of the law.
Omar also cautioned county government employees and those from national land office against involving themselves in the illegal registration of the land acquired in the area on irregular basis.
“These cartels are curving off the land for speculation purposes. They are targeting compensation from the LAPSSET corridor infrastructure project,” Omar said.
“We have information of foreign companies getting land here, using locals as conduit to acquire illegal land and we will not hesitate to take the necessary action to thwart their motive,” he added.
The county executive termed the illegal demarcation as “selfish and one driven by greed.”
He urged community elders in the affected areas to be vigilant and report those involved in the land grabbing and cases of bulldozers doing any illegal activity in the area.
Sankuri MCA Mahat Maow, Nominated MCA representing Youth Hussein Mohamed and Nominated MCA Gedi Adow also condemned the illegal demarcation and promised to ‘fight it to the bitter end’.
Adow said the Livestock development and Ranch land management bill that will soon be tabled in the county assembly will end illegal acquisition of grazing land by private developers.
By Jacob Songok
