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Kari seeks to repossess land from grabbers
Kari director Ephraim Mukisira when he appeared before a land Committee. Photo/Jennifer Muiruri
The Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari) is seeking to recover more than 2,500 hectares of its land in Naivasha from grabbers.
Kari director Ephraim Mukisira told a committee on land that the institute is spending a lot of money on court cases in order to repossess its land.
“It is a very costly affair for Kari to have these cases in court from Kitale, Mombasa and Naivasha. But we have resorted to court as we lobby institutions that are supposed to help us get back the land,” said Dr Mukisira.
Kari also wants the Isahakia community living in its Naivasha land evicted and their title deeds revoked.
Dr Mukisira told the committee that the High Court issued an eviction order of Isahakia community which is claiming a share of Kari land, but the provincial administration in Rift Valley had not enforced the order.
“We recommend that the illegally acquired title deeds to this land should be revoked and reissued to Kari and all those occupying the land evicted,” he said.
He said the Kari Naivasha centre estimated at 4,000 hectares is used for dairy, sheep, goat rearing.
“This centre hosts the largest Sahiwal pure bred herd in the world. The human interference is affecting the provision of improved breed of the cattle to farmers,” said Dr Mukisira.
Naivasha MP John Kingangi asked the government to look for alternative land for members of the Isahakia community who have been living in Naivasha for the last 100 years. He also called for prosecution of Ministry of Lands officials who have been issuing fake titles for the land.
Committee chairman Alex Mburi asked Kari to secure its land across the country by fencing and having the required documents.
Gachoka MP Mutava Musyimi said the committee should come up with legislations that would address double allocation of land and grabbing.
