Locals receive death threats as tension grips a village in Murang’a over land issue

Residents of Mithini village in Makuyu, lower Murang’a, are seeking the government’s intervention to save them from being evicted from their land, which they claim has been grabbed by private developers.

The residents say they are now living in fear following death threats from people who claim to be the owners of the land.

Elizabeth Mukami, one of the residents, claims that her family’s land has been fully encroached, leaving only the space where her house stands, and she has been receiving threats to move out or be killed.

Mukami said they have been living on this land for more than four decades, but a few years ago some people started invading the land, claiming to be the legitimate owners.

“We are living in fear of being attacked, and sometimes we are forced to sleep outside our homes for our safety,” she said.

“My father has been attacked several times as he fights for land, because these people want us out of here so that they can own it,” added Mukami.

Mukami claims there seems to be collusion between some government officials and the private developers to have the meek in the area thrown out.

“Only the poor people are being targeted because we don’t have money to file a case in court; these people have now resorted to intimidating and threatening us,” she added.

James Mungai, one of the leaders of the residents, said that they have sought help from the government several times to no avail.

Mungai said he has also been receiving death threats and is now living in fear for his life, saying he barely sleeps in his home fearing being attacked.

“I have been receiving threatening messages from people telling me that they want my head on a platter because I am on the forefront fighting for our land,” said Mungai.

Further, he said the invaders have been presenting fake title deeds to claim ownership of the land, adding that they have fraudulently obtained them through the help of rogue government officials.

Munyori Kinyenje, another squatter, said he wanted to build a house on his parcel of land but another person appeared claiming to be the legitimate owner of the land.

He said the land is still under the custody of the government after it was surrendered back to it by the white settlers back in the 60s.

“We are seeking justice and the government should address this matter with urgency because there are people who are suffering and others have been killed in the fight for this land,” said Kinyenje.

Documents from the land registry in Murang’a indicate that 32,000 hectares of land were surrendered to the government back in 1958 and have never been subdivided.

Murang’a County Police Commander Kemboi Kimaiyo acknowledged receiving a letter from the office of the Inspector General ordering an investigation into the matter.

Kimaiyo said an inquiry has been initiated to investigate the threats and claims of violation of human rights, which the residents claim many people have been killed due to the land tussle.

“The matter has been brought to our attention and we have launched the investigation to get to the root cause of the matter,” said Kimaiyo.

“We will also have the security officers and administrators in the area record statements with us because they have been accused of colluding with those terrorising the residents,” he added.

The county police boss, however, advised the residents to apply for adverse possession of the land in court, which will cushion them from being evicted since they have lived here for more than 50 years.

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