County assures residents they won’t be evicted from scheme land

Tana River County Land and Physical Planning Executive Mwanajuma Hiribae has allayed fears of a looming eviction of squatters on National Irrigation Authority (NIA) land in Hola, Galole constituency.

In a statement, Hiribae says, “There is an ongoing process in which the County government of Tana River has requested for the transfer of NIB land for the expansion of Hola municipality. This request was made with the reality of a growing population and increased economic activity in Hola.”

Hiribae said in her statement that a technical committee was set up to review the status of the Tana Irrigation Scheme and villages as indicated in the original map.

Galole Member of Parliament Said Buya last year filed a petition in the National Assembly for the degazettment of 2000 acres of the Tana Irrigation Scheme for expansion of Hola town.

“That, the physical location of Hola Irrigation Scheme at the heart of Hola has over the years proven to be disadvantageous to area residents in view of the fact it continues to block the much-needed expansion of Hola town, which is the headquarters of Tana River county,” read in part Said’s petition as captured by Hansard of August 18, 2021.

Tana Irrigation Scheme has a gazetted area of 12,000 acres.