BY THE GUARDIAN REPORTER
9th January 2014
The Minister of Lands, Housing and Human settlement Development, Prof Anna Tibaijuka said the investor should return the land ownership certificate and be issued with another after the farm is re-surveyed.
Prof Tibaijuka issued the directive after visiting the rice farm and discovering that the farm was sold to the investor without conducting a thorough evaluation, thus taking over land which belonged to wananchi.
“After surveying the farm, I have learnt that according to the law the entire area for wananchi is within the Kapunga farm. In order to end this dispute I am directing the investor to voluntarily return to wananchi the said 1,870 acres and remain with 5,370 acres,” Prof Tibaijuka said.
Prof Tibaijuka said although the investor owns the land legally according to the procurement agreement, if he resists the order, as Minister she is entrusted with the power to write a letter to the President to invalidate the ownership certificate of the farm.
She said if the President invalidates the certificate the investor will lose the legal ownership of Kapunga farm and be required to pay compensation for the development of the land and vacate the area.
Some wananchi who spoke to The Guardian hailed the decision by the government and called upon Prof Tibaijuka to implement the decision.
However, the Executive Director of Kapunga Rice Farm Justin Vermaak declined comment, only saying he would first discuss the matter with his fellow investors.
“Our company comprises six owners. I cannot give the answers on my own unless I communicate with my colleagues …I assure you that things will be resolved”, he said.
The dispute over Kapunga farm involving the investor and wananchi has lasted for nine years.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
No comments :
Post a Comment