How land syndicates were born long before Kenya was conceived

Majengo Kanamai squatters demonstrate to demand government intervention after they were rendered homeless when a tycoon acquired the disputed land in Kisauni in Mombasa County on January 14, 2014. Inset: Sir Charles Eliot. [File, Standard]

The bewitching beauty of Kenya’s numerous undulating hills, her expansive lush green plains ringed by scenic forests have always acted as an irresistible beckon to landspeculators, both foreign and local.

It appears that from the days of ivory and slave trade, foreigners have plotted how to conquer and own some of these breathtaking lands.