Governor Lenku rescues community's 170,000 acres land from illegal sale

The county government has recovered 170,000 acres belonging to a community in Kajiado West.

Governor Joseph Lenku (pictured) led efforts to get back the land belonging to Oldonyonyokie Group Ranching at Magadi Ward. The title to the land had been confiscated and held as collateral in a land deal between a Nairobi surveyor and former ranch officials.

On Monday, the governor returned the title to jubilant ranch members in Oldonyonyokie town, bringing to end tension and uncertainty over the future of the community land, which had split the members into two groups.

One group was led by the new ranch chairman, Daniel Nchui, while the splinter group was led by the former chairman, Joseph Kasaya.

The handover ceremony of the title turned into a reconciliation prayer meeting between Nchui and Kasaya who have been involved in grandstanding over the title.

Sources say the title had left the ranch officials' hands in 2008 following a botched land sub-division exercise.

The former ranch officials led by Kasaya are said to have failed to pay Sh77 million to the surveyor for his services, forcing Kasaya to surrender the title in breach of their agreement.

Yesterday, Lenku and his Lands CEC Hamilton Parseina reconciled the two groups and handed over the title to the new officials.

"We have salvaged this title from the jaws of some greedy officials who had entered into a deal that could see the entire community lose land," said Lenku.

He said the unscrupulous officials owed the community an apology for subjecting them to a land dispute that took 12 years to resolve.

"Our mothers and fathers have cried over this land. Many have never benefited from it because they did not have control of the land," he said.

The recovery of the title will now pave way for subdivision of the land to members.

Nchui said the community would decide the future of the land.

"No one knew the fate of the land title or what it had been committed to do. Now we know we can have a joint community agenda for the land," said Nchui.