Reports have emerged of a growing land dispute in Murang’a County, where a section of residents have reportedly invaded part of Kakuzi Plc’s expansive land, allegedly spurred on by their area MP Mary Wamaua.
The locals claim the land was taken from their forefathers and are demanding its return, despite the land being under the ownership of a publicly listed agricultural company.
The situation is reported to have intensified in recent days, with some of the intruders allegedly cutting down indigenous trees and harvesting building stones from company-owned quarries.
Portions of these materials are said to have been sold to contractors working on an Affordable Housing Programme in the area.
Though Kakuzi is reported to have secured court orders in an attempt to prevent further intrusion, enforcement appears to be lacking.
Local administrators such as the sub-county commissioner and police commander have reportedly failed to act decisively, prompting concerns about law enforcement’s ability or willingness to intervene.
The company, which is listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), operates under regulatory frameworks that restrict it from disposing of land arbitrarily.
As such, no official notice of sale or compulsory acquisition has been made public.
Critics of the ongoing invasion argue that such actions not only jeopardize investments in the region but could also set a dangerous precedent for land disputes in the future.
Below is what some of the concerned sources have shared with us regarding the unfolding situation at Kakuzi.
“Lawlessness is fast becoming a fashionable trait even at very low administrative levels, if developments at Kakuzi, Murang’a County, are anything to go by. Sample this: thanks to political incitement by Maragua MP Mary Wamaua, some naive locals have recently invaded a section of the vast Kakuzi Plc land in Murang’a County. I say naive because invading public land will never amount to ownership, even where politicians claim historical injustices. While the locals respond to Wamaua’s warmongering calls, the law is very clear: that land can only be acquired either by compulsory acquisition in a process overseen by the National Land Commission (NLC) or through private treaty. Poor Maragua and Makuyu folks, if Kakuzi has not sealed a deal to sell you the land or if your government has not compensated Kakuzi in a compulsory acquisition deal, your invasion is a criminal act and in vain. Your MP knows the law all too well and should appreciate that illegal invasions have no place in Kenya. They amount to nothing particularly in respect of land owned by a publicly listed company. A listed company at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), such as Kakuzi, is bound by several regulations and cannot afford to asset strip at will. By doing so, particularly without the approval of its shareholders, it would be acting to the detriment of the shareholders who have invested their hard-earned money, hoping for a return out of the company’s assets, including land. In less than two weeks, the invaders have caused wanton destruction, cutting down indigenous trees and extracting building stones from quarries. Apparently, some of the stones are being sold to a contractor undertaking an Affordable Housing Programme project in the locality. Efforts by Kakuzi to have the matter addressed amicably, including securing court orders, have borne little fruit. The security system, including the sub-county police commander and local sub-county commissioner, appears to be powerless in the face of the marauding invaders, which is raising security tensions. Kakuzi may be the easy target today, but as Martin Niemöller once said, and perhaps to paraphrase him, first they came for Kakuzi, and I did not speak out because I was not a shareholder. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.”
