By RENSON MNYAMWEZI
Taita Taveta, Kenya: The Taita-Taveta County government has sent surveyors to Sagasa sub-location in Wundanyi division to demarcate the boundary between residential areas and a dam.
The decision to dispatch surveyors comes after scores of squatters encroached on over 30 square kilometres of land near Kishenyi dam that serves more than 12,000 people including livestock in Werugha, Wumingu and Kishushe locations. Taita Taveta County Governor John Mruttu said the squatters were frustrating the efforts to rehabilitate and expand the community dam.
The County Director of Water Bryson Mambi said rehabilitation work started in 1993 and so far more than Sh13 million had been spent.
Voluntarily leave
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He said the water department has committed and is procuring the broken submersible pump at a cost of about Sh2.6 million.
Mr Mruttu, who inspected the dam accompanied by Werugha Ward Representative Jason Tuja among other local leaders, said squatters should voluntarily leave the area.
“We are asking them to leave the area, failure to which they will be forcibly evicted if the surveyors find out that they are illegally occupying public land,” he warned.
“Water at the dam is declining at an alarming rate hence risking marine life. It will be a catastrophe if we do not take drastic action to save it from drying up.”
