Land rates go up five times for tea firms in Nandi

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This followed a ruling by the NLC for the devolved units to make final decisions on renewal of expired land leases.
The firms are occupying more than 150,000 acres of land under cultivation of the cash crop.
The NLC allowed counties in tea- growing zones to have the final say on the renewal of the land leases, including review of rates.

Nandi County has increased fivefold land rates for multinational tea companies to Sh500 an acre from July.

This followed a ruling by the National Land Commission (NLC) for the devolved units to make final decisions on renewal of expired land leases.

“It is unfortunate that the multi-national tea companies have been earning huge profits from tracts of land under tea plantations while the locals who suffered historical land injustices after they were forcibly displaced are wallowing in poverty,” said the Governor, Stephen Sang.

The multi-national tea companies are occupying more than 150,000 acres of land under cultivation of the cash crop.

The NLC allowed counties in tea- growing zones to have the final say on the renewal of the land leases, including review of rates.

Land leases for most of the multi-national tea companies have expired and the county governments want the firms handed over to them.

Mr Sang on Monday said the tea firms were also not carrying out Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities to empower the local communities.

“Tea companies whose land leases have expired will have to hold talks with the county government and agree on the new land rates and support local communities who suffered historical land injustice,” said Mr Sang.

He said the county government’s legal teams together with elected leaders, county assembly and other stakeholders will hold talks on effective implementation of the new rates.

The county chief officer for Lands Solomon Mang’ira said the review follows successful appeal to NLC on historical land injustices committed against the local communities.

“Nandi county suffered the highest number of historical land injustice cases that resulted in displacement of families to create over 150,000 acres of land for tea plantations,” said Mr Mang’ira. “Survey will be carried out to determine the exact acreage of land occupied by multi-national tea companies,” said Dr Mang’ira. Multi-national tea companies in Nandi occupy about 150,000 acres of land.