Powerful individuals have grabbed 300,000 acres of land under the Agricultural Finance Corporation (ADC) project in Kilifi County.
They are alleged to have annexed over 25,000 acres every month. One of the cartels is said to have started constructing a dam on the land.
In a letter dated April 9, 2021, ADC wrote to the Ministry of Lands and National Lands Commission (NLC) asking them to intervene in the matter.
Salat’s letter is addressed to Lands Cabinet Secretary Faridah Karoney, NLC Chairperson Gershom Otachi, Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, Agriculture CS Peter Munya, Treasury CS Ukur Yatani, Director of Land Adjudication, Director of Surveys, and Kilifi County Commissioner.
The land grabbed has been valued at Ksh15 billion. They are dividing it into portions of 50 acres and 5,000 acres.
“The attention of ADC has been drawn by the invasion of land by some settlers who have cultivated less than 10 acres in few small areas, adjudication process in the name of Adu Kamale, Adu Chamari, and Waka Adjudication sections and massive subdivisions and clearing for access roads by land buying companies/private persons,” ADC board Chairperson Nick Salat stated.
“The resultant subdivisions are being sold to unsuspecting buyers and have already started cultivation and clearing of access roads,” he added.
The state agency added that corrupt persons have encroached on the 1.75 million Galana/Kulalu ranch and subdivided it and are now selling it to unsuspecting members of the public.
ADC noted that one of the grabbers is excavating a dam without approval from the agency.
