Thousands of squatters living in Naivasha have called upon Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to intervene after their land was reportedly bought by the founder of Mt Kenya University Simon Gicharu under undue influence
In a letter dated 9th June addressed to Kenya Human Rights Commission, written by 3000 squatters, notes that if the situation ain’t managed, they risk remaining vulnerable for the rest of their lives
They have accused the Mr Gicharu for using rogue land and government officials who served under the mercies of retired former President Uhuru Kenyatta, bringing to the limelight of their questioned relative bromance in the funding of regular students by the then government
The evictees have claimed that they were allocated the said land by the late former President Danial Toroitich Arap Moi and they have since lived in 16,000 acres of land which is now under the control of bribed police officers by Gicharu
“We are over 3,000 squatters living in Naivasha, Nakuru county in 16,000 acres allocated to us by former President Daniel Moi given our vulnerability situations.
We were drawn from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, but few moths ago Mr Simon Gicharu the Chairman and founder of Mt Kenya University landed here with the chopper with the help of business tycoon Mr Benjamin Kipkulei acting for Uhuru era politicians and rogue police officers came to inspect our land and arrested some of our members” Part of the letter read.
The petitioners have copied their letter to Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki disclosing that some of their arrested members may end up rotting in jail for they were demanded to pay cash bail or bond of Sh200,000 which they couldn’t afford until as of yesterday
“They are still in remand since they can’t afford a cash bail or bond that was being asked by the court of Sh200,00. We kindly ask for your interventions because no one is listening to us and all media houses have been bribed they can’t air our grievances.
We have also been to Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika and County Commissioner’s office but they all seem to be compromised for they haven’t given us an audience. We have documents to show this is our land,” reads the document, that’s further copied to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua
Last month, the squatters had promised to match to the Mt Kenya University at Nakuru branch to show their disappointment with Simon Gicharu for grabbing their land but claim some of their leaders were bought off
Locals have said that they have lived in the land for decades until 2019 when government took 3,000 acres for the construction of primary and secondary schools since their population has been increasing. Government had informed them that their 16,000 acres will be subdivided to cater for social amenities
“We have nowhere to go! Simon Gicharu has been claiming that he bought this land from government officials. He has been using rogue police officers to defeat justice. Media has been coming here to interview us and later get money from Gicharu they don’t air the stories, Governor and Commissioner are all bribed can’t air our grievances,” Mary Mwathi, 78, says in a video camping at Susan Kihika’s office and County Commissioner to seek audience with them.
Most farmers claim that the place they have called home is Ndabibi and Kasovo where Mr Gicharu has sponsored to construct a police post to deter squatters from resettling in their land
This comes after the National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwa demanded to know how Mt Kenya University as the only private entity has been receiving higher number of government sponsored students in expense of other public and private universities
The outspoken Kikuyu legislator claimed that Mr Gicharu acts like a cartel who has been siphoning taxpayers money through getting higher number of government sponsored placements of higher learning in exchange of bribes