Landowners in Suswa SGR corridor protest delayed compensation : The Standard

NAROK, KENYA: Hundreds of landowners from Suswa in Narok East sub-County Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) corridor held demonstration on Tuesday protesting over delayed compensation by the government. The landowners who paralyzed operations at the construction site accused National Lands Commission(NLC)and Kenya Railway of  failing to live up to their expectations by failing to fulfill their pledges. The community led by their representatives Alfred ole Poror, Simon Punyua and  Stephen ole Kalempe said it has been almost six months since the two agencies promised to give them their payout and nothing seems forthcoming. “We are demanding that NLC and Kenya Railway come clear on the issue of compensation. We were promised compensation before the railway came. It is now heading completion and we are yet to be reached out yet we gave out our lands, “posed Poror.

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The 78 landowners also lamented over land valuing process which they said was ‘oppressive’ owing to the intensity of the project. They pointed out that the Sh1Million to Sh500,000 per acre price offer by the Kenya Railways should be reviewed upwards to at least Sh7Million per acre. “The Sh1 million figure is too little. Why is it that the government is paying as high as Sh12Million to landowners in Kajiado per acre? The properties are within Suswa town and are in form of plots and the value should go up,”bemoaned Mr Punyua. The landowners have however vowed to camp at the SGR site until their demands are heard and determined. “We have come here with two bull which we shall slaughter as we wait for our compensation. We want the NLC Chair Dr Mohammad Swazuri to come down here and listen to our pleas as we are not going anywhere, “added Kalempe.

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Early last year, the National Lands Commission(NLC)Chairman Mohammad Swazuri  assured hundreds of land owners affected by the Standard Gauge Railway(SGR) project in Nakuru/Narok counties of adequate compensation before kick off the phase two.

Related Topics

National Land CommissionKenya Railways