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{
    "id": 895567,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/895567/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 85,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cherargei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13217,
        "legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
        "slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
    },
    "content": "It seems there is a cartel that ensures that when there is a project being undertaken and it involves land, they do not care about the land belonging to poor Kenyans and they want to deprive them of it. The law is very clear about this matter as stated and articulated in Article 40. Madam Temporary Speaker, I agree that the people of Taita Taveta County are suffering. It has been mentioned here by my colleagues that many Kenyans follow up on their payment until they lose it. There is collusion between the agencies that run roads like KeNHA, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, the NLC and the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development. It seems they know where a road will pass and then they use cartels to buy the land and then sell it back to the Government. There were so many complaints on the compensation of those who were affected by the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). There were also complaints with regard to the issues of Wayleave and roads. It is sad. I hope the Committee concerned will ensure that they investigate this matter. We are willing to be friends of the Committee because most people suffer. There is a new trend where contractors even take somebody‘s land, excavate it, pour murram or even put their machineries on the land. They do not compensate those families or pay them in time. They do not pay them in accordance to the market value and yet that money has been factored into the project cost. It means that there are people who are sleeping on their job and that is the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and the NLC. As I conclude, the term of Mr. Swazuri, the NLC Chairman and his Commissioners is coming to an end. I hope the new Commissioners who will be appointed to the NLC will bring sanity to the issues of land compensation in this country. We are tired of cases where, the NLC, instead of being the protector of our people, who have been deprived of their land or property – they are part of, or catalysts to the cartels to ensure those people are denied their rights. I hope when we get the new Commissioners in NLC and other agencies like KeNHA who give out contracts to some of these contractors and even the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, they will come out clean. I expect the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development to appear before the Senate Committee on Lands, Environment and Natural Resources regarding this matter. The others who should also appear before the Senate Committee are the Minister for Lands, and the Chairman of the NLC and the Attorney- General so that we can have a proper interpretation on the same. Madam Temporary Speaker, I hope this matter will be resolved for the benefit of many Kenyans. Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker."
}