From: Leo Odera Omolo
Date: Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 3:33 AM
Writes Leo Odera Omolo
Residents of two locations along the Kericho-Muhoroni district border areas are up in arms protesting the government’s proposal to evict them from their land so that a new water dam can be constructed in the area.
Areas affected include Kapchebwai, Kapkormom and Kabarus, all situated in Koru Division, Ainamoi constituency and Koru location in Muhoroni district.They say plans are underway to acquire their land under the land acquisition act, and that close to 25,000 villages will be forced to vacate their land in the near future.
They only came to know about the project on July 15.
They alleged the matter has been kept as top secret between the Provincial Administration, the two MPs representing Muhoroni and Ainamoi cononstituencies.
Immediately after getting information about plan for the proposed Dam, the farmers in the area formed a committee comprising of people from the Rift Valley and Nyanza; a committee of people living around the affected locations.
According to the memorandum, the company called Kunji Consulting engineers and Partners has already been contracted to start the work fairly soon. But the move has been kept a secret, with no proper communications to the affected communities. The water from the Dam, according to the locals, will be pumped to farms in upstream areas like Koibatek and Baring or Muhoroni districts.
“We do not want to be uprooted from our fertile and arable land. We fear that our children will not be able to find school places in the new areas where the communities are to be relocated for settlement. Nobody is speaking about the compensation…” says the memorandum in part.
They residents say they have seen how the Kenya government is evicting citizens of this country in a ruthless and merciless manner in some part of the country, and wanted their views known that they are not willing to cooperate over the planned eviction, and land acquisition, to create room for the Koru Dam.
“Wherever we shall be relocated for resettlement, the move will have an adverse physiological effect on our school going children throughout our lives”, said the statement.
The residents say they were suspicious that they will not be paid for permanent improvement on their farms, that is why they are insisting to be left alone.
“We could be forced out of our land, and finally end up without getting alternative land . The may be compensated, but with inadequate funds, which might not be sufficient to make them afford land elsewhere for their resettlement.
The Memorandum explained that since the matter was disclosed to the public, the resident have stopped cultivating their land, and acute shortage of grains in the area is expected to start biting soon.
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
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Subject: RESIDENTS OF AINAMOI AND NYANDO IN PROTEST AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT PLAN TO EVICT THEM FOR KORU DAM PROJECT.
my comment
i am a resident at kapchebwai and supporting the idea of the gorvernment building the land,
i say this becouse the place is a semi arid and therefore need irrigation. such project will boost the lifes of many compared to those who are evicted.
we better give out our smaller portions and make our coutry a developed coutry
i advice those protesting to ask for compensations and invest somewhere.
I think the idea by the government is good but please this should be done in a way that can only be positive. There should be no side effect since those people evicted are not encroachers.
Also they should be compensated before they are removed.Also the fate of their school going children should be catered for to avoid inconveniences.
I am a resident at Kapkormom the region that is alleged to be affected more by the Dam. I think the idea by the government is good but please this should be done in a way that can only be positive. There should be no side effect since those people evicted are not encroachers. The reason why am saying is because of how the Kenya government is evicting citizens of this country in a ruthless and merciless manner in some part of the country which might affect the citizens of that place negatively.
my opinion is that let the Government face the residents of places alleged to affected by the dam and enlighten the people on the size of the dam, how they be compensated and where they be moved to.
Could someone please inform me on the status of this good project that was planned by the government long time ago. My email is wakala.gtz@gmail.com
We are doing a similar planning for a neighboring community to improve their land through irrigation and we may have similar problems if we don’t get the reasons why the Koru Project stalled. Thanks.
Yes the project may be helpfull but we dont want the affected pple loose more as well,the concern persons must not keep the project underground so we want full picture of it as possible.Thanks alot
i dont bilive in the idea cos what benefits the resetens of ainamoi and soin
Am a resident of koyabei ,the project is good but why is it that the purpose is not to benefit the nearest villages but to other counties,,,as residents we demand that we be involved in all steps n compesation should b agreed upon first before implementation
This project has lots of disadvantages on it’s own to the Common Communities in Both Counties. where will the displaced families end up? what their future? Are they left for the streets? We need to face the Areas where dams have been erected e.g Masinga and Learn more from the affected community and the Community that are surrounding the dams!!
The Gov’t should come up in a clear manner of Communication to the affected persons.
Displacing this families will create a negative impact to the Society at large.
My opinions:-
a) There should be a proper communication channeled to the parties;
b) An Agreement should be laid in a proper manner in regards to compensation;
c) The Rights of the persons affected/land should be reached as stated in the current Kenyan Constitution ; Keeping in Mind it’s their Ancestral home.:
d) All the above should be solved before any commencement of the work.
The idea is good but the government should compenset the evicted families to acquire new settlements.