NLC should become more transparent about its SGR land compensation policies and payments.
It will take the co-operation of communities affected by the construction of the standard gauge railway (SGR) to complete the project on time.
Protests by land owners claiming compensation, environmental campaigners resisting passage through national parks or villagers demanding jobs at times disrupted or delayed work on the first phase of the railway between Mombasa and Nairobi.
But the authorities seem bent on letting the same problems beset the second phase of the country’s grand infrastructure project, exposing it to further delays and costly litigation.
A group of land owners in Kajiado North last week told Parliament of a new compensation dispute involving the National Land Commission (NLC) that could again derail the project.
The land owners are aggrieved by alleged discrepancies in compensation arising from NLC officials either understating or inflating payments for property compulsorily acquired in the area.
In some cases NLC officials reportedly coerced residents into signing agreements, leading to low compensation.
These grievances are likely to harm the relationship between the project managers and the community.
The parliamentary committee hearing the petition should not only investigate the matter, but it should also demand that the NLC becomes more transparent about its SGR land compensation policies and payments.
PAYE Tax Calculator
Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
