Konza Ranch: August 2011

Konza Ranch sets 

AGM as tension rises

By Anchor Reporter

KONZA Ranch management has set a date for a crucial Annual General Meeting ahead of a delayed subdivision of the ranch into individual farms.Ranch owners view the delay as the work of politicians plotting to remove the current leadership of Konza led by Mr David Mutangili and replace them with puppets whom they can use to steal from farmers the same style used to fleece poor farmers of Malili Ranch of  over Sh 200 million last year.

In Malili, Ranch leaders Peter Kanyi and John Kilonzo were hauled to court and technically removed from office as new officials, working with politicians deducted Sh 300,000 from over 400 farmers, claiming that Mr Kanyi’s team had stolen some Sh 174m. A court has since confirmed that the alleged theft was a smokescreen and the real thieves remain at large and protected from prosecution.(see story elsewhere in this paper)

The Konza AGM is planned for August 27 at its Kima Farm, along the Nairobi- Mombasa Road. The 1594 members plan to confirm previous minutes and hear a progress report of the quest to sub-divide the land. Going by the mood of the farmers, they are likely to swiftly pass a resolution endorsing the current team of Directors, as they have done since the quest to subdivide begun, to press on with the agenda to split the farm.

Going by past meetings called by th National Environmental Management Authority- Nema, the farmers are unlikely to entertain any other business on their property other than splitting it to allow individual ownership of the land.

NEMA has held two highly charged public hearings on the quest to split the ranch and a decision on the way forward has been clouded in mystery. During the last meeting at Kima, Mr Mutangili warned the politicians groping in the dark. “ They usually come up with damaging information that the shareholders are being cheated by dishonest directors. They have so far managed to harass us to the CID and the KACC and to the press. It is your land that they want and not to help you. Tell them to get lost and leave us along to do our business. Where have they been for the last 30 years? Why Now?”

Informed sources told The Anchor that NEMA had set up a Technical Advisory Committee to review the land subdivision proposal and advise the authority on the matter.

This comes as farmers get jittery over the delayed decision to split up the 17,479 acres of land.