By Eugene Kioko
Members of a housing co-operative society have expressed fears for their lives after a gang of armed people believed to be hired by land cartels invaded their property.
The 4,000 members of Kamulu Housing and Co-operative Society who have settled on 2,300 acres of land bought by the society said their lives were in danger as their pleas for help from security apparatus in area had not been acted upon.
They said the gang armed with pangas and other crude weapons have taken charge of part of the land and started subdividing and selling it at cheap rates.
The society Chairman, Augustine Nzioka Mutuku, said the goons riding motorcycles had uprooted official beacons of the land and replaced them with illegal ones.
“They are wooing customers to buy pieces of the land they have illegally subdivided into commercial plots,” said Mutuku.
He said most of the members were not sleeping in their houses for fear of being attacked by the gang. Mutuku added that his members had incurred huge losses after their houses were demolished and the materials taken away by the gang members.
He said even after reporting the incidents to the authorities in the area nothing has been done.
“We are thinking of arming ourselves to protect and defend both our lives and property because it appears the Government has ignored us”, he said.
Contacted, Machakos County Commissioner, Matilda Sakwa, referred the Press to Mavoko Deputy County Commissioner who in turn referred us to Mlolongo Assistant County Commissioner.
He promised to respond after two hours but his phone was later switched off.
