Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu yesterday led residents in recovering more than 100 acres of grabbed land in Thika.
Using bulldozers and crowbars, they pulled down perimeter walls in Masai and Kiang’ombe villages.
Residents had earlier told the governor the land was part of 360 acres meant for resettling of squatters, build schools and other public utilities.
This comes barely a month after Lands Chief Administrative Secretary Gideon Mung’aro met residents who had reported the matter to his office.
“The ministry is particularly concerned by the many cases of theft of public land reported in Thika, Ruiru and neighbouring areas. We are telling those behind these schemes that it is only a matter of time before we catch up with them,” Mung’aro had said.
Residents had told the CAS of a cartel that was working in cahoots with some government officers to grab land set aside for public use.
And yesterday, Waititu, who supervised the demolition, said the land will be reverted for the intended purpose. “We shall not allow individuals to steal public land,” he said but declined to field questions from journalists.
The residents welcomed the governor’s intervention and asked the government to help secure the land to put up social amenities.
“This will enable us to build schools, health centres and other social amenities,” said a squatter, Margaret Wangari.