This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
Published on July 16, 2020, the US government has made a significant promise to the people of Murang'a county. In a bid to extend the lease of Delmonte's 22,000-acre land, the government has agreed to build a Ksh3 billion hospital in the area.
According to Murang'a Senator Irungu Kanga'ta, the government will cede part of the land to build the hospital. This comes after President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered Lands Principal Secretary Dr. Nicholas Muraguri to have the matter settled by the end of July.
Del Monte owns 22,000 acres of land, but residents want between 5,000 and 8,000 acres put to public use. They claim that only 13,000 acres are under use by the company, while the rest lie idle.
Del Monte's 99-year land lease expires in 2022, with 6,500 jobs at the multi-national fruit grower and processor on the line. The US Ambassador to Kenya, Kyle McCarter, has promised to continue fostering beneficial initiatives that would see the county flourish.
“America and Del Monte have been open to accommodate the demands of the locals. It’s probably the method of engagement that was faulty. We’re now having very structured meetings and are nearly at the point of breaking the impasse,” Senator Kang'ata stated.
