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{
    "id": 1556699,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1556699/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 128,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mwatate, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Peter Shake",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Hon. Speaker, I, the undersigned, on behalf of Nyariyo-Yakididi Chabat Beta Culture Community in Taita Taveta Constituency, Taita Taveta County, draw the attention of the House to the following: THAT, the Nyariyo-Yakididi Chabat Beta Culture Community is a registered and recognised community group from Taita Taveta Constituency registered under the Community Land Act and the Community Land Regulations; THAT, the community is dedicated to preserving and advancing the welfare and culture of the Taveta people, including the protection of natives' land rights as guaranteed under Article 63 of the Constitution and the Community Land Act; THAT, in 1963, the Government of Kenya reserved a trust land of LR No.249/1963 for natives for purposes of grazing and farming; THAT, the community occupied the trust land until sometime in 1982 when there was a severe drought that claimed human life and livestock and as a result, the community left the area and relocated to the lowlands near River Lumi; THAT, the community continued using the said trust land as a traditional shrine for prayers and circumcision until sometime in 2022 when they were arrested and harassed by rangers from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) on allegations of trespassing; THAT, after negotiations between local political leaders and the KWS, the arrested members of the community were released but on firm instructions that they should not trespass on the trust land on the grounds that the area is part of the Tsavo West National Park and is a protected area; THAT, vide a letter dated 17th August 2023, the community sought information from the Director for Land Administration on the legal status of the trust land, and on 18th August 2023, they were expressly informed that the land is still trust land; THAT, the community forwarded the aforesaid information from the said director to the KWS and requested to be allowed to continue using the trust land as their shrines and grazing area; THAT, the KWS declined and insisted that the trust land is part of the Tsavo West National Park, and that it is a protected area; THAT, in the recent past, the KWS has started fencing off the trust land, completely cordoning it off from the community; THAT, all efforts to have the matter resolved have not been fruitful; and, THAT, the matter presented in this petition is not pending before any tribunal, court of law, or any constitutional or legal body. Therefore, your humble petitioners pray that the National Assembly, through the Public Petitions Committee: 1. Enquire about the legal status of the trust land LR No. 249/1963 and recommend for the settlement of the squatters within Taveta Constituency. 2. Make any other recommendation that it may deem fit in addressing the plight of the petitioners. And your petitioners will ever pray. Thank you, Hon. Speaker."
}