Cooperative Societies working in collusion with rogue officials to disposes members off their land in Machakos County will be dissolved and title deeds issued to genuine members.
Machakos County Governor Wavinya Ndeti says most of the original land owners in some cooperatives had been kicked out of their land by rogue officials who use fake title deeds.
Ndeti says her government in conjunction with the national government had agreed to dissolve such cooperatives as a way of resolving land disputes which were an impediment to the county’s development agenda.
“We have agreed with the national government to dissolve the cooperatives and issue people with title deeds as a way of resolving the land disputes,”Governor Ndeti said.
She made reference to Drumvale Farmers Cooperative Society in Kamulu, Kangundo, Katelembu Cooperative Society and Katheka-Kai Cooperative Society in Mavoko, among others.
The Governor made the remarks outside her office after holding deliberations with the Senate Committee on Trade, Industrialization and Tourism led by its Chairman who is also Kajiado County Senator Seki Lenku.
The Committee visited the County at the invitation of Senator Agnes Kavindu and Drumvale Farmers Cooperative Society.
Among the issues on the table was Drumvale Farmers Cooperative Society which is faced with loss of their property following the actions of a liquidator.
Lenku said there were people trying to grab the Drumvale land using their offices but assured that the land will be returned to its rightful owners.
“Senate is looking at the matter and we are visiting the the Drumvale members today and later make directives.We assure that within a very short time, we are going to conclude this matter,” assured Senator Lenku.
The Senate Committee will make a full report after a visit to members of the Society.
“We appreciate what the Senate is doing to resolve the issues and warn anyone coming to displace our people that there is no free land in Machakos.
We will not accept it,”warned Governor 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 an official appointed as the liquidator.
Drumvale Farmers Cooperative Society said a letter sent to the Commissioner of Societies seeking assistance to revamp the society to profitability had turned out to be their source of nightmare as the officials had since taken advantage of the society contrary to members’ expectations.
The society which was established in the 1960s and had parcels of land totalling 12,000 acres operated well until the original founder members who hailed from Mwala, Matungulu, Kathiani and Kangundo started dying of old age and natural attrition.
