Residents at the Chepchoina scheme, along West Pokot and Trans Nzoia Counties have once again protested over evictions from their land, police harassment and destruction of property by government authorities. Those who settled at the scheme over the past several years have been facing the same predicaments, including harrassment, evictions especially during the planting season among others.
Huge hectares of land within the Chepchoina settlement scheme have not been ploughed due to orders and moves by the security personnel. Some of the residents, mostly from the Pokot, Turkana and Luhya communities have become squatters and are now camping at Katikomor area in West Pokot County while others have started fleeing to the neighboring country Uganda to seek refuge.
They raised concerns that top government officials from Trans Nzoia were forcing them out of their allotted portions of land with the aim of resettling other people. Speaking to the press at the scheme, affected residents through their lawyer Mr. Emanuel Kosgei said that they have been living there for more than 25 years.
They called for anti corruption agencies to investigate the conduct of top security officers in the area for what they term is a scheme to eject them from their land.
Kapenguria MP Samuel Moroto criticized government officers who he accused of colluding with grabbers to frustrate residents, noting that the case is still in court. He urged Interior CS Fred Matiang’i to take action against top security officers who are mistreating residents. The MP warned that the process will be bloody if the government doesn’t intervene.
Mr. Moroto condemned the evictions that are perceived as selfish interest by a group of rich people taking advantage of the poor. He vowed to protect the residents from being deprived of their land citing that he was pleased they lived in harmony regardless of their ethnic backgrounds.
He said he will take a delegation of squatters to President Uhuru Kenyatta for them to raise their concerns themselves. “Land is a very sensitive issue and should not be taken casually. We have all security officers in the area including regular police, NCIS, CID, Anti theft officers but they are doing nothing,” said Moroto.
Christopher Lonyala, a resident, said over 1000 people from the area have been affected yet they own the land legally. Lonyala urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene and said a new land survey should be done. “We want the President himself to come to our aid or we will go to Uganda,” he said, “We are Kenyans and we should not be punished. We want the survey done correctly.”
Lonyala, who is the first petitioner in the case filed in a Kitale Court said it’s unconstitutional for the government to evict the squatters and allot the farms to other people from different parts of the country. “We want stern measures taken on those corrupt officers. Tension is high in this area and the government should chip in and solve the problem at once,” he said.
He expressed fears that the youths from the area might revert to cattle rustling and engage in criminal activities and distort peace that is prevailing along the border if the government does not intervene.
However, Endebbes sub county Deputy County commissioner Haron Kamau dismissed the claims saying there are two Court orders and the second of these cautioned residents from meddling in the land, erecting structures or cultivating.
