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{
"id": 2435,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/2435/?format=api",
"text_counter": 126,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Orengo",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Lands",
"speaker": {
"id": 129,
"legal_name": "Aggrey James Orengo",
"slug": "james-orengo"
},
"content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, on 24th November, this year, Mr. Mututho, the Member of Parliament for Naivasha requested for a Statement with regard to the intended purchase of the piece of land generally referred to as Wiyumirire ecologically classified a cold desert and a wildlife fruit of Solio Ranch both located in Laikipia County for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) based in Naivasha and the adjacent IDP camps. Mr. Speaker, Sir, he had asked me to consider the following matters and clarify:- 1. What informed the decision by the Ministry in purchasing the two pieces of land and indicate the bona fide owners of the Wiyumirire piece of land. 2. Explain why the IDPs were forced to settle on the said land, the unsuitability for human habitation notwithstanding and confirm whether those who were already settled there will be relocated to a suitable land. 3. To explain the action being taken, if any, against those persons who advised the Government to procure the said land. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I now wish to respond as follows:- LR. No. 15146/17/18 generally referred to as Wiyumirie measures approximately 4,565 and 470 acres, respectively. They are allocated in Laikipia County. They were offered for sale through expression of interest in February last year through Kahari and Kiai Advocates. The farms are co-owned by Zacharia Kimemia Gakunju, Moses Mbugua Mwangi and Samuel Mbugua Kibathi. LR. No. 111571/6 which is the Solio Ranch was offered for sale to the Ministry of Lands for resettlement of IDPs in June this year. It is approximately 3,195 acres and is also located in Laikipia County. The farm is owned by Mr. Edward James Puppet who offered it for sale. The need to purchase the two farms was informed by the search for large farms to resettle the IDPs. The offers were made as I have indicated last year and this year. The decision to purchase the farm is decided by the Inter-Ministerial Committee of Permanent Secretaries under the chairmanship of the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet. The Committee is composed of Permanent Secretaries from the Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, the Ministry of Lands, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Roads, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, the Ministry of State for Special Programmes, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Medical Services. This Committee works under the supervision of a Cabinet Committee on resettlement of IDPs and forest evictees comprised of Ministers from the same Ministries. The procurement is done in strict compliance with the procurement rules. These two farms are amongst many other farms which have been targeted for purchase only upon the basis of recommendations made by experts. These experts are physical planners, valuers, surveyors, agriculturists and other experts and officials from the Ministry of Lands, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Ministry of Roads and Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security. The Government has not made any commitment on the purchase of these farms and, therefore, no IDPs have been settled. No one will be forced to settle there. The process of settling IDPs is a difficult and onerous task with many challenges, including non-availability of suitable land, rejection of Government offers regarding valuation and also social, political and security issues that arise now and then. However, the Government will always endeavor to settle IDPs on land found to be suitable for agriculture and human habitation if other challenges as I have mentioned above are resolved. Finally, no action has been taken or contemplated to be taken against any officer since no decision has been reached on the purchase of the farm. The thrust of my Statement, therefore, is that there has been no purchase of these two farms."
}