Machakos County Governor Wavinya Ndeti has declared that cooperative societies working with rogue officials to dispossess members of their lands will be dissolved.
Speaking outside her office after holding deliberations with the Senate Committee on Trade, Industrialization and Tourism following an invitation by Machakos Senator Agnes Kavindu and Drumvale Farmers’ Cooperative Society, the governor said her government in conjunction with the national government had agreed to dissolve such cooperatives and issue the original land owners with title deeds as a way of resolving land disputes which were an impediment to development in the county.
Her sentiments follow the petition by Drumvale Farmers’ Cooperative Society which lost its properties following the actions of the liquidator a Mr Wanjohi.
“We appreciate what the Senate is doing to resolve such issues and warn anyone coming to displace our people that there is no free land in Machakos,” said Ndeti.
Members of the Drumvale Farmers’ Cooperative Society had petitioned the Senate to intervene in what they termed as utter impunity and abuse of office by a Mr Wanjohi.
They argued that a letter to the Commissioner for Cooperatives seeking assistance to revamp the society to profitability had turned out to be their source of nightmare with the officials taking advantage of the society contrary to members’ expectations.
Through their petition, the members argued that the society , which was established in the 1960s, had parcels of land totaling to 12,000 acres and that it operated well until its founder members started dying of old age and natural attrition.
The senate chairman Seki Lenku assured the cooperators that they will get back their land.
County Commissioner Josephine Ouko said they will work within the law to ensure the original land owners get back their property.
By Stephen Muthini
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