By OSINDE OBARE
Trans Nzoia, Kenya: General Service Unit (GSU) officers have been deployed to the Katuke Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) farm in Trans Nzoia County to keep off squatters who had invaded it.
Over 150 people invaded the farm and started harvesting maize before security personnel repulsed them.
Trans Nzoia County Commander Lillian Okembo yesterday said police will provide 24-hour security on the farm and warned residents against trespassing.
“We have moved some GSU officers to guard the farm after invasions by some people. We have issued a stern warning against illegal invaders,” Okembo told The Standard in her office. She said among the invaders were school children.
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During the Christmas festive season, poor people from a nearby village struck at the expansive farm and started harvesting maize before the management alerted police.
Late last year, a Kenya Police reservist at Nai ADC Farm shot and injured a man who tried to harm him after he caught him stealing maize from the stores.
The constant invasions have been blamed on rampant poverty among communities living near the ADC farms.
Meanwhile, lack of title deeds has fuelled land conflicts and poverty in Trans Nzoia County, local leaders have said.
The leaders appealed to the Government to urgently issue local residents with title deeds to check the high levels of poverty and curb land rows.
The leaders said that almost half of farms in the county lack title deeds and this had hindered development in the area.
Led by Woman Representative Janet Nangabo, the leaders blamed the rampant grabbing of public utility land in the county to lack of title deeds.
“Residents cannot secure loans from financial institutions to initiate economic activities to tackle poverty. Lack of titles is a major stumbling block to development,” said Mrs Nangabo.
She said the documents would help residents improve their lives by using their land more economically.
“Past governments were reluctant to issue the deeds despite appeals from our leaders. We are working with the Jubilee government to ensure our people benefit,” she said during a church service at Christ the King Mitume Catholic Church in Kitale.
Trans Nzoia Governor Patrick Khaemba asked the Government to resettle squatters in the county to end their suffering.
Khaemba proposed that the Kitale Catholic Church Bishop Maurice Crowley could be entrusted with resettlement programme, arguing that the prelate had the list of genuine squatter families.
