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{
"id": 217147,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/217147/?format=api",
"text_counter": 155,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Prof. Kibwana",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Environment and Natural Resources",
"speaker": {
"id": 277,
"legal_name": "Kibwana Kivutha",
"slug": "kibwana-kivutha"
},
"content": " The original owners of the land approached the first President of Kenya to buy the above mentioned land. A committee was appointed under the supervision of the Government, whose treasurer was the District Commissioner (DC), Machakos, Mr. Benson Kaaria. It collected money from the local people. The chairman and secretary were the two Members of Parliament of the area. The money collected for the purchase was then banked at the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) under the name of Mukambi Ranching Co-operative Society and deposited in a current account. However, Mr. Speaker, Sir, when on 10th January, 1979, the secretary of the above mentioned society, hon. Kasanga Mulwa, wrote to the ADC requesting that the purchase be finalised, Mr. Charles Okumu, the then Assistant General Manager wrote, on the 7th February, 1979, telling the Government to reserve the said land as Government land and retain it in the national interest and that it was not for sale. The above mentioned co-operative society had made a prior request through a lawyer, Mr. G.M. Kakuli, on 2nd November, 1976. Even at that early stage, the ADC indicated that the farm could not be sold. However, in 1980 and 1981, there was a Presidential directive to the ADC that the farm be now sold to some individuals and not the original owners whom the Government had encouraged to pool funds to buy the land since very valuable pedigree Boran cattle were being raised for research purposes. On 23rd February, 2007, the ADC wrote to my Ministry pinpointing that the ADC wanted to retain the farms in question as Government National Ranches, but because of the directive, it was forced to sell the farm. Under the current Government policy, the ADC owns other parcels of public land reserved for research purposes and they cannot be sold. Legally, titles LR.No.9730 and LR.No.9731 are still Government land. There are many parcels of land between Emali, Sultan Hamud and Nairobi which were given out by the Government to senior officials and other persons which are not in any controversy because the right procedures were followed. My Ministry is sensitive to the rule of law issues. My Ministry cannot also condone lawlessness. The local residents in Makueni have become restive because the three persons occupying the said land are selling the land to persons outside the area after the Government offered to buy the land for the original trustland owners. My Ministry is concerned that an unnecessary conflict situation is brewing. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I have been threatened by one of the occupiers of the mentioned farms. Since these threats are persisting, I will report to the police. In dealing with this land issue, as well as any other, as the country's Acting Minister for Lands, I undertake to operate within the law and natural justice. I thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir."
}