Squatters kicked out of varsity land in Lamu cry for justice

Some of the families evicted from land belonging to Egerton University in Lamu and who are now camping by the roadside in Mikinduni, Mkunumbi Division in Lamu West. They have appealed to the government to resettle them. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Kiplagat accused some local politicians of colluding with tycoons to frustrate the squatters.
  • Lamu County Commissioner Irungu Macharia said they obeyed a court order to evict the squatters.
  • Joshua Yeri, a father of eight, said he has been living on the disputed land since 2003.

Several squatter families in Lamu are crying for justice following their recent eviction from a disputed piece of land said to belong to Egerton University.

The more than 10 families have now been forced to put up camps by the roadside in Mikinduni, Mkunumbi Division in Lamu West since being thrown out of the 432-acre piece of land on December 19, 2019.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, the squatters, most of whom are farmers, said they were left with nothing after their properties were destroyed during the eviction, which was supervised by armed police officers and other State agencies.

HOUSES DEMOLISHED

Their spokesman, Joseph Kiplagat, who has lived on the disputed land since 2001, said that during the eviction, police officers stood guard as bulldozers demolished their houses and other structures.

Mr Kiplagat accused some local politicians of colluding with tycoons to frustrate the squatters.

“There was a court battle which we previously won. We were shocked to see armed police officers and bulldozers invade our dwellings and destroy them. There were almost 50 houses on the disputed land which were all demolished. We were also ordered to move out.

We have nowhere to go and that’s why we are camping by the roadside. We need justice,” said Mr Kiplagat.

CROPS

Joshua Yeri, a father of eight, said he had been living on the disputed land since 2003.

Mr Yeri said all the crops they had planted had been fenced inside the disputed land.

“We were left homeless. We don’t have food as our crops have been fenced inside the Egerton land. We are not allowed to set foot on the land. Hunger is in the offing. We need urgent help,” said Mr Yeri.

Margaret Kamande, a mother of 12 who has lived on the disputed land for more than 18 years, said the eviction had affected learning as their children are now forced to stay with their homeless families.

ALTERNATIVE LAND

Mrs Kamande asked the government to allocate them alternative land and also compensate them for their destroyed houses and crops.

“Where do we go from here? They threw us out just like that without caring what our fate would be. We’re now living by the roadside and no one seems to care. We don’t know where we will go, or where our children will go. Schools have reopened. Do we now look for school fees or a house to live in? It’s high time the government comes to our aid by resettling us on an alternative piece of land. They should also give us money to build houses,” said Mrs Kamande.

Mr Samuel Maina accused the Lamu County leadership of remaining silent and showing disinterest in the matter.

“It is unfortunate that despite what we’ve been going through for all these weeks, our governor and the county leadership are quiet. They are not concerned about the matter. We are suffering here by the roadside. We have schoolgoing children who are now forced to stay with us since we are all homeless. The government should intervene and find a permanent solution to the woes we are going through,” said Mr Maina.

NO CONTROVERSY

Contacted, Lamu County Commissioner Irungu Macharia said there was no controversy about the said land since it is genuinely owned by Egerton University.

Mr Macharia said they obeyed a court order to evict the squatters from the land.

“First, there was a court eviction notice. In fact there is no controversy about this. The land genuinely belongs to Egerton University. There was an eviction order from the court after the squatters lost the case.

“We didn't want to be found in contempt of court and that's why we provided security to supervise the eviction. I am aware these people claiming to be squatters have their genuine residential places. My advice is that they should go back to their pieces of land since the ones they claim to own are rightfully owned by Egerton University,” said Mr Macharia.