The Standard Group Plc is a
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Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
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Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo with Western Regional Commissioner Samson Macharia during the Shaviringa settlement scheme meeting in Hamisi on June 23, 2023. [Brian Kisanji, Standard]
Their push saw a meeting held last week bringing to the table the government officials and the affected families.
It emerged from the meeting that at least 174.4 hectares of Kakamega forest have been earmarked for degazettement into private holdings towards compensation of the families.
Western Regional Commissioner Samson Macharia who chaired the meeting on June 23, 2023, instructed surveyors contracted to conduct the survey of the Shaviringa-Shiru settlement scheme to resume the exercise that stalled in 2015.
"Surveyors will be on the ground soon. Officials from the National Lands Commission and KFS will also join them," said Mr Macharia during the meeting at Jideleri area.
He said Vihiga County Government has assured of availability of Sh10 million in its budget to fund resumption of the survey.
The directive comes barely over a month after Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi ordered the Ministries of Lands and Environment to restart the exercise.
Title deeds will give the families full ownership of the land parcels within the forest.
The 174.4 hectares to be de-gazetted include 138.4 hectares Shiru settlement scheme and 36 hectares Shaviringa settlement scheme, being parts of the vast Kakamega forest.
The meeting was also attended by Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo.
Dr Ottichilo noted that the families have gone through agony for many years. "I had written letters and petitions to the government to expedite the process and the survey will be a move in the right direction," he said.
The directive now offers a ray of hope to the families who have decried delayed compensation nearing four decades, a move they protested has seen them live as squatters.
Nyamage now believes that after decades of suffering, they will be able to call Shaviringa their home.
The families further hope that social amenities lacking in the area will be established by the government to enable them access water, schools, health facilities and roads.
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
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