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"id": 234304,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. G.G. Kariuki",
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"legal_name": "Godfrey Gitahi Kariuki",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the follow Motio:- THAT, noting with concern the plight of scores of Kenyans who are landless across the country and whose earnings are barely enough to sustain them and further noting that there is no clear land use policy and thousands of hectares of land belonging to the Government or private individuals lie idle; this House grants leave to introduce a Bill for an Act of Parliament entitled The Squatters Settlement Scheme Bill for purposes of settling all genuine squatters in the country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Motion is merely asking Parliament to give authority so that we can introduce a Bill for the purpose of settling all the landless people in this country, especially those who are genuinely landless. The history of landlessness in this country goes far back to the year 1800, when the Europeans came and took over this country and managed it the way they wanted. When they came, they displaced people from their indigenous homes and ancestral land. People were subsequently employed as cheap labourers on the same land they had been chased away from. After the First World War, in 1914, and the Second World War, in 1939, retired white soldiers were settled in this country by the British Government. They were given all the opportunities to deal with labourers the way they wanted. Therefore, they were able to get cheap labourers, who were to do the jobs on the same land that was taken away from them. Time has come when we should start thinking very seriously about the problems of our people. The unilateral decision by the British Government caused the squatter problem. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the squatter problem that was created by the colonial Government was not properly addressed by the first Independent Kenya Government, which was formed by a coalition of KANU and KADU in 1961. Due to the disagreement that was there during that time, it was not possible for African leaders to agree on how to deal with landlessness, because the British were also in the same Government, under the Governor. The history of land in this country is very clear. It is only that the Government of Independent Kenya failed to address the issue. That could be the reason for the squatter problem in this country. We may not wish to explain because it is known by everyone that Kenyans lost their lives fighting for their land. Eventually, after winning the war, land in this country continued to belong to foreigners. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, when the people started complaining, our good friends - the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the late Bildad Kagia and some of us - stood very firm to ensure that land was given to Africans for free but it was not possible. The British, due to the cold war then, were still capable of manipulating the leaders of this country. So, the issue of taking over land from the white settlers was rejected by the Kenya Government during the late President Kenyatta's time. The policy that was in place then was willing buyer, willing seller. The British Government then created an organisation in the name of Settlement Fund Trustee (SFT) to ensure that land belonging to its citizens then would be purchased through that Fund. No land of citizens of other countries, other than British citizens, was to be purchased through that fund. When the scheme was started, a lot of things happened. The British had also to decide on the price at which the land was to be sold. That scheme caused a big problem because even the money that the British Government had provided was enough to buy only a few farms. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, when the problem of landlessness escalated in the country, a commission was formed and somebody called Shimechero was appointed to head it. He was the Commissioner of Squatters. As such, he was charged with the responsibility of identifying landless people and squatters in the country. He was mainly to deal with the issue of squatters. The November 15, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3661 commission came up with a figure of 55,000 squatters in the period 1965-67. The matter was not addressed. So, nobody cares what happened with that commission. That also created a lot of mischief about land buying. Mr. Shimechero's commission was followed by a Ministerial committee, whose mandate was to look into the issue of absentee landlords in the coastal strip as well as identify land that was lying idle in the country. As we speak, there is now an attempt by the Government to come up with land use policy. That is a policy which ought to have been put in place immediately after Independence, if we were genuinely mindful of our people. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the land policy being developed by the current Government does not address the issue of landlessness. It only addresses policy issues relating to land use. As a Government, we may develop the best land policy in the world but, as long as Kenyans continue to be landless and bear the \"squatter\" title in their own country, it becomes clear that we are not genuine in our thinking about them. I think we need to sort out this matter once and for all. There were excuses in the 1960s, 1980s and also 1990s. We forgot to think about the squatters and went on grabbing land. Those who had power continued to grab land without considering the interest of the poor Africans. There is no excuse now, and I urge this Parliament to address this issue once and for all. We should bring a law to this House to look into the issues of people with large tracts of land, idle land and absentee landlords. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the only way to address land issues is to bring a Bill to deal with people who were displaced during the Settlement Fund Trustee (SFT) era. During the SFT era, a number of people were displaced. If a farm was bought and only 50 people were settled on it, the other people who were living on that land became squatters and they were thrown out of the farms. We have to address this issue. There is also the issue of absentee landlords and idle land in the country. This matter has been discussed in this Parliament several times and even a Motion was passed but we have not found a solution to this problem. The best solution would be to bring a Bill to this House and have it enacted into law so that we can move fast. In 1987, about 200,000 people were chased from the forest and nobody cared about where they were to go. They became squatters in an independent country. We also need to find a solution concerning people who have been displaced by the tribal clashes. Certain international organisations were expected to facilitate the resettlement of these squatters but that has not materialised. The time has come when we have to deal with our affairs without waiting for assistance from foreign donors. I think foreign donors have their own motives when they are supporting us. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is also the issue of landlessness in big cities, towns and slums, like Mathare. We have to ensure that the people of Mathare are given title deeds on the land they are living because they are our people. Right now, there is a lot of insecurity in Mathare. This is an indication of people trying to ask themselves whether they are free or not. This Parliament should urgently address this problem. If we want to deal with insecurity in this country, we should make sure that we settle these people. The people living in Mathare, Kibera and other slums are a security risk. In few years time, they will demand to be settled like any other person. No country will accept a situation whereby some people have huge tracts of land while others are living in shanties. We must be honest. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we can earn fat salaries here, but those who come after us will get even more than we are earning. The time will come when people will take the law into their hands. Before that happens, why can we not sit down and find solutions to their problems? Why do we enjoy seeing the ODM-(K) or NARC-(K) going to Mathare? Why do we enjoy seeing large crowds of people being addressed by people who do not care about their welfare? The time will come when these tribal leaders and tribal chiefs will have it rough as people 3662 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES November 15, 2006 get educated. The people are getting educated because they are suffering when others are enjoying themselves. I think something should be done about the mushrooming of small villages all over Rift Valley. There is land that can be purchased and given to the poor in this country. People with big tracts of land, like me and other hon. Members of Parliament, should be ready to surrender a portion of their land to give back to the poor who fought for this land. It is important that this House decides on this issue once and for all. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in my area, we have about 145 small shanties all over the place. There are about 3,000 people living there. They do not know where to go and what to do. They just live in those small villages. If one of them passes away, he is buried in the same place. One acre of land is occupied by about 500 people. What does that mean in a free country like this one? All I want is for the House to sit down and address this matter once and for all. This is what we all need to do. I am happy that hon. Members are listening very attentively and they know that this problem is bigger than what I am able to explain. Hon. Members have the moral responsibility to deal with matters that are bothering their people. We were brought here by the people to speak for them. Not every mwananchi can be present in this House. That is why this Parliament is for the people and by the people. That is why we are given only five years contract. If we fail to represent them properly, they will always find a replacement. Before we are replaced, we should leave a mark here that we decided the fate of our people like we did with the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF). That is a very important decision that this Parliament has ever taken. If we can do something about the issue of landlessness and squatters, I think we will be taken more seriously than we are taken today. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, without repeating what I have said, I have been the Assistant Minister for Lands and Settlement for nine years. I was later appointed a Minister, but the issue of land has not been easy to deal with. The issue of land delayed our Independence. We were to attain our Independence from the British in 1961. That was the first decision by the Colonial government. But because of the land issue, our Independence was delayed for another two years. That is why we became independent in 1963. If you look back, you will see the kind of force or struggle that our leaders or forefathers faced during that time. The British and landowners were able to create divisions within KANU in a very big way. On one side, we had those who were crying to take over European land and distribute it to the people, while the other group who wanted peaceful development were on the other side. But when you are creating a class of poor people, that cannot be considered as development."
}