By Winnie x
A curious Task Force has been appointed to probe into the unfolding land rush in Athi River that has seen the death of two land dealers so far and mushrooming of overnight millionaires.
The minister of state for Provincial Administration and Internal security Pro. George Saitoti appointed the Task Force when irregularities were reported to him after a huge tract of land belonging to a widow was grabbed even before Letters of Administration were granted to her heir(s).
Among the tasks it is to address are the irregularities in appropriation of land belonging to the late Margaret Wamaitha Humphrey and the squatter problem in Athi River District.
The T ask Force consists of former District Commissioner Mr John Abduba as Chairman, with the Secretary being the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of lands.
Other members are the Permanent Secretaries Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Nairobi Metropolitan Development, Ministry of Industrialization, Ministry of Labour and the Town Clerk of Mavoko Municipal Council. O thers are the Regional Commissioner for Lower Eastern , former Mavoko Mayor Mr Judah Muoka, Mr a local businessman and resident Mr Shamit Sigh and Bishop Nicholas Muli.
Curiuosly left out of the membership is the Mavoko District Commissioner Mr Kibaara, Mavoko Mayor Makau Kingola and Kathiani MP Wavinya Ndeti.
It appears that their exclusion is deliberate owing to the fact that they have been key protagonists in land issues in Mavoko with each accusing the other of one or another anomaly at different times.
However observers see the task force as an attempt to investigate the indulgence of civil servants , key among them the DC, in the issue of land in Mavoko.
In the last few years, Mavoko has seen land previously owned by individuals and the State change hands even when owners held clean Title deeds and it is clear that such change of ownership cannot take place without the hand of civil servants in and out of Mavoko, who are used to the old ways of Kanu who see any land as being eligible for grabbing.
Besides, local leaders unable to work in cahoots with the civil servants have come up with an infectious strategy to urge citizens to form cells of squatters to invade the grabbed land and throw a spanner into the works and ensure that outsiders do not eventually own land belonging to Akamba.
This twist has placed the political leaders in a critical position and have been lft with no option other than support occupation of grabbed land by squatters- mostly locals and obvious pockets of support when voting time comes. It is this combination of issues that seems to have partly led to the formation of the Task Force, besides the will by some local citizens who are keen to have thee law take its course in the ownership process of land.
If this is allowed, grabbers and squatters will soon overrun Mavoko become a time bomb whose explosion would destroy peace, investment and development in the greater Nairobi Metroploitan Area.
The Task Force is mandated to “examine and inquire into allocations to private individuals or corporations of public land or lands dedicated or reserved for public purposes including : Jumbo(Airport) Land,Numerical Machines Land, National Housing Corporation/Agriculture Syndicate Land , National Social Security Fund Land, Public Land around Daystar University and Margret Wamaith Humphrey’s Land.
It will collect and collate evidence and information available relating to the nature, causes and extend of unlawful or irregular allocation of the land, prepare a list of all lands unlawfully or irregularly allocated, examine payment of land rates to Mavoko Municipal Council relating to the said parcel of lands and establishing the nature of involvement of public officials in the irregularity of appropriation and allocation of that land thus identifying them to determine the security implications of the squatters problem.
Again it needs to carry out any other inquires which in the opinion will necessary in unraveling the irregular land appropriation and allocation in that District, recommend actions to be taken against persons involved in the irregular land allocations, examine transactions of the land Control Boards against the background of existing legal framework on their functions and explore reasons for their inability or failure or unwillingness or refusal to curtail the irregular land appropriation in the District and finally to recommend measures to be put in place to curb failure irregular allocation of such a land.
In the performance of their tasks, the Task Force will prepare a detailed work plan indicating milestones and timelines; develop a priotized Matrix clearly categorizing the immediate, medium, and long term reforms and budgeting requirements; review any documents relevant to its mandate and hold consultative Forums with professions and the public.
After all the performance of their tasks,it shall report to the Minister of State for Provincial Administration and Internal security; advising regularly and keeping the minister updated on progress without prejudice to the generality of the forgoing by making progress reports to the minister after every fourteen (14) days.
They shall regulate its procedures and finalize their tasks within a period of fourty-five(45) days
