Ruto orders encroachers of Kiambu public land evicted

President William Ruto has ordered people encroaching on public land in Kiambu County to be evicted forcefully.

He directed the Regional Commissioner to oversee the eviction  to enable construction of government projects.

“Some people have obtained titles for public land using crooked ways. I am directing the Regional Commissioner to ensure that they are thrown out. We shall not allow individuals to block development activities in Kiambu,” Ruto said.

He was responding to concerns raised by Kiambu governor Kimani Wamatangi over the grabbing of public utility land in the county by cartels colluding with some leaders.

Speaking at Kamwangi in Gatundu North where President Ruto launched the construction of Thika-Magumu-Flyover Road, Wamatangi said among the county property grabbed by individuals is a 4 and-a-half-acre parcel in Kiambu town meant for the construction of a health facility.

“Mr President these people have ganged up with some leaders to frustrate me after I stood my ground against the grabbing spree, but I will not budge,” said the Governor.

Ruto assured that political infighting will not be allowed to ruin government projects and told leaders to work together for the people who elected them.

“We have a debt with the people who elected us to serve them. We must build roads, houses, markets hospitals and other projects and this can only be possible if leaders work together, “ stated the head of state.

Kiambu has recently been in the news with members of the County Assembly differing with the Governor over various issues and even threatening to impeach him.

However, Wamatangi said he would not bow to any pressure and pointed an accusing finger at people out to steal public land

The President has already commissioned 17, 850 units in Mukuru, Rongai and Kibera to ease the housing burden affecting low-income earners.

The Programme targets the over 6.5 million Kenyans living in slums and informal settlements and is undertaken in partnership between the national and county governments.

More than 6.5 million Kenyans live in slums.

“The number of people who have a mortgage in Kenya is less than 40,000. We should have around 1.5 million people paying a mortgage to become homeowners. But the problem is that we do not have houses that ordinary people can buy. The houses that are being built are highly priced,” President Ruto had earlier stated.