- Kishushe leaders want an urgent meeting to address alleged interference with mining investors.
- Cooperative officials have raised concerns over alleged extortion and questionable mining consent documents.
- The leaders are urging county officials to help resolve disputes over the 18,000-acre community land parcel.
Leaders of Kishushe Ranching Cooperative Society Limited have called on Taita Taveta Governor Andrew Mwadime to convene an urgent meeting with stakeholders to address concerns over alleged interference with mineral investors operating in the area.
The leaders said disputes surrounding the 18,000-acre Kishushe B community land parcel should be addressed to protect the interests of residents and investors who have been legally permitted to operate in the area.
Speaking during a press briefing, the society’s Secretary Wilfred Mwalimo accused some individuals of disturbing investors while claiming to have protection from the government.
He challenged the relevant authorities to establish whether government officers were working with individuals accused of interfering with investors.
“We want to know who are these government officers that are working with land grabbers to protect them,” Mwalimo said, identifying Chenda Gardens as among those he accused of disturbing investors.
Mwalimo said the community would not allow individuals to use land disputes to extort investors who had been authorised to operate in the area.
He compared their position to the President’s reported opposition to attempts to extort investor Dangote, saying investors in Kishushe should also be protected from such demands.
He said the community wanted the government to intervene and ensure that investors were allowed to undertake their activities without interference.
The leaders also raised concerns about the ongoing land adjudication process covering the 18,000-acre parcel, which they said had been set aside for the community.
Mwalimo maintained that the community was not opposed to the government’s Rapid Results Initiative (RRI), but wanted the process to be implemented fairly and transparently.
He argued that proper land planning was necessary, particularly because of the increased mining activities in the area.
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According to Mwalimo, the community needed to establish how the land would be shared and ensure that its allocation did not disadvantage residents.
He also condemned alleged attempts to collect Ksh3,000 from young people seeking to secure land, describing the practice as conmanship.
Mwashinga Mjomba, chairman of the supervisory committee of Kishushe Ranching Cooperative Society Limited, said the 18,000-acre parcel contained minerals. He alleged that some individuals wanted to use fake consent to undertake mining activities.
He called for the relevant authorities to examine the matter and ensure that any consent used for mining was legitimate.
Mjomba urged the county government to involve its officials responsible for land matters in resolving the dispute.
“We request the county government surveyor, County Executive Committee Member of lands and Chief Officer of lands to be involved in that process,” he said.
The leaders also called on Governor Mwadime to bring together the relevant stakeholders to discuss the concerns surrounding Kishushe B land adjudication.
Mwalimo said the community was willing to pursue dialogue before considering legal action, insisting that residents wanted a fair resolution to the dispute.
He said proper planning of the land would allow the community to pursue its development goals while protecting the interests of legitimate investors.
The cooperative society leaders maintained that the land dispute needed urgent attention from both national and county government officials.
They urged the government to address the concerns raised over the adjudication process, alleged interference with investors and the use of consent documents for mining activities.
The leaders said a stakeholder meeting would provide an opportunity to discuss the issues and seek a way forward.
By Michael Oduor
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