Landless squatters in Nyandarua county will finally sigh with relief after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua directed Lands Cabinet Secretary Zachary Njeru to expeditiously process title deeds for them to own land.
Those earmarked to benefit from this arrangement are squatters in four villages in Ndaragua constituency, whose residents are descendants of Mau Mau fighters in an effort to dignify them.
The Deputy President spoke yesterday when he led planting of more than 10,000 trees in Shamata Ward, Nyandarua county at the drying Lake Ol Bolossat almost getting extinct
Gachagua said the descendants of Mau Mau fighters live in deplorable conditions despite the sacrifice of their grandparents.
The villages include Kambaa, (135 title deeds), Kaheho (17 title deeds), Kanyagia (400 title deeds and Kirima (96 title deeds). During the tree planting exercise, he issued 89 title deeds for Kambaa, which have been processed.
“We must dignify our people. Cabinet Secretary for Lands must process all the title deeds of these villages within two years.” Gachagua directed.
In an apparent attack to the last administration led by retired president Uhuru Kenyatta whom Gachagua is fond of bashing at every slightest available opportunity, he said past regimes have not been keen in addressing this matter, which has left the children of freedom to live as squatters since independence.
He claimed the money paid for compensation by the white colonialists was diverted to benefit those who took over power at the expense of the locals.
The money, he said, was used to purchase large pieces of land, which are idle, while the rightful beneficiaries have remained beneficiaries.
“The children of Mau Mau are buried in public cemeteries. These children must get land with title deeds,” he said.
With title deeds, the Deputy president said the beneficiaries will have settled life and be more productive unlike the uncertainty they live in now.
The government will continue working to settle other squatters.
The Cabinet Secretary for Lands was with his counterparts Soipan Tuya (Environment) and Rebecca Miano (East Africa Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands).
