This archive report was first published on 3 September 2019.
Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) is set to compensate landowners in Taita-Taveta county for 12 parcels of land that were irregularly fenced off and given to Ikanga Airstrip in Voi subcounty.
According to a county National Land Commission (NLC) official, Dennis Mutungi, the valuation exercise is expected to bring an end to the protracted land dispute between KAA and local residents.
On April 4, 2018, a ground-verification report from the county lands office confirmed that KAA had illegally fenced off the disputed land parcels during the process of securing the airstrip land from land-grabbers in 2015.
The report also revealed that the runway at the airstrip measured 580 metres against the original length of 520 metres, and had a width of 102 metres against the approved width of 50 metres.
Following a senate committee tour of the area in May this year, the committee chair, Mwangi Githiomi, urged KAA to move with speed to compensate the local residents, which would help operationalise the airstrip that has been idle due to the long-drawn conflict.
