Economy

Kajiado land owners fault agency over SGR payment

sgr

An SGR tunnel in Kajiado. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The National Land Commission (NLC) has come under the spotlight for understating or inflating compensation payments for property owners whose land has been compulsorily acquired for construction of phase II of the standard gauge railway (SGR).

Parliament last week heard that the NLC has sanctioned claims for residents of Kajiado North Constituency where there is an alleged discrepancy in compensation offered to land owners.

Saropa Kimenjo, the chairman of affected residents told the National Assembly committee on Land that the NLC had raised compensation claims from as low as Sh2.3 million to Sh25 million for land that is adjacent to one another.

He claimed the NLC officials coerced residents into signing agreements, leading to low compensation figures.

“After lengthy negotiations between the leadership of the affected land owners, the NLC has raised its initial figures from Sh2.3 million to Sh10 million, Sh15 million and finally Sh25 million for those who are outside the Ongata Rongai SGR Station area. But they had forced those inside to sign low compensation,” Mr Kimenjo told the committee chaired by Rachael Nyamai.

“We want a value that will enable us buy land in the same area. We pray that we don’t be moved out of that station vicinity,” he said.