Residents of Tharaka Nithi who will be affected by the redesigning of Nithi Bridge are skeptical of giving out their land on the basis of early entry to allow the redesigning of Nithi bridge.
The redesigning of the new bridge will affect residents on Muthambi and Mitheru wards where tens of families will be moved to pave the way for the expansion of the Nithi bridge.
On Tuesday Tharaka Nithi County Commissioner David Gitonga and officials from National Land Commision (NLC) and Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) held a consultative meeting to enlighten residents on “Early Entry” (early acquisition of land for a project).
Many residents fear that if they give out their land before proper valuation and compensation they may end up completely missing compensation or their land and assets will be under valued.
John Nyamweya Director at the National Land Commision urged residents to give out their land and then be compensated later to enable the contractor to progress with the work to avoid delay.
“Those affected will be given notices to allow the contractor to access their land and then be paid when the works will be completed. Nobody will be left out,” Nyamweya said.
Nyamweya said the project is of public interest and ought to be hastened and some of the compensation will come later.
However residents declined the proposal and said they ought to be compensated first before allowing the project to proceed.
Nyamweya said they will continue to enlighten residents more on land acquisition and compensation.
“Valuers and Surveyors have an inventory of all the damages caused for those who allowed early entry into their land,” Nyamweya said.
Nyamweya said Kenha required to get access to land especially where they will build columns to hold the Nithi Bridge.
The law under the land act section 122 says the National Land Commission can give private land to the government before the whole process of compensation is complete because of urgency of public interest.
“It is important to have early entry as the contractor is already on ground and wants to begin the works.
Nyamweya said they have prioritised land that has not been developed noting they have given out 28 letters of notices to the owners of the land so they can give it out to Kenha and the contractor on ground.
Nyamweya said there are two more processes remaining for residents to get their funds.
“We still have inquiry and award remaining and if the process is hastened in three months they will all get their dues,” Nyamwenya said.
Kaburu Kiboto said already the contractor has started works and some of his crops in his farm have been destroyed yet there was no valuation or compensation done yet.
“Those in charge of the project asked us to allow early entry and we will be compensated but when valuers came they told us they will not count the crops that already had been destroyed,” Kiboto said.
Michael Ngala of Kenya National Highways Authority official who is in charge of the Nithi Project contract said residents should give out land quickly so the project can be completed within the stipulated time.
“We want to start the projects to avoid accidents and loss of life witnessed. We have more than Sh.350 million for compensation. Residents should give us land so that we commence without any delay or stalling of the project,” Ngala said.
Ngala said no genuine land owner that will be affected by the project will not be compensated according to the value of his land.
He urged residents to prepare the documents that are required so that they can be compensated in time.
Tharaka Nithi County Commisioner David Gitonga urged residents to avoid speculating about the project as nobody will be left out in the compensation.
Gitonga urged residents to be patient as the government is committed to deliver the project.
On Sunday during a visit in Meru County President William Ruto said the government has allocated Sh.7 billion for the redesign of the Nithi Bridge.
President William Ruto said the contractor is already on ground and land compensation has already been done.
Another resident Elephants Riungu said they have nowhere to go as they haven’t been compensated despite them being told to move from their ancestral land.
Munene Njeri from Kiangati said they have not seen any compensation and the government ought to prioritize compensation first before the construction works begin.
Mukwanyaga Miriti who says she had to do succession in order to get a title deed as the land was in her late husband’s name.
“We need to be compensated first as we have invested much on our farms. We are not well compensated but we are not against the project but we need to be compensated first,” Miriti said.
Edited by John Majau
