Standoff as Tarda seeks to evict residents from Masinga, Kiambere dams land

Scores of Mbeere residents in Embu County have vowed to resist eviction by the Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority (Tarda), which has accused them of trespassing on its land.

They claim ownership of the land near Masinga and Kiambere dams where they live and farm.

Already, Tarda has issued an eviction notice through acting managing director Emilio Mugo, dated February 16 requiring them to leave the area immediately.

According to the authority, the notice followed a court order directing residents to be evicted to pave way for the demarcation and beaconing of the disputed land parcel.

But the residents insisted that they had lived on the land for decades and swore not to leave.

Led by Mbeere South MP Geoffrey King'ang'i, the residents wondered how they could be thrown out of ‘their’ land.

The MP alleged a plot to grab the land at the expense of poor residents who have been struggling to survive.

"Not going anywhere"

“We are not going anywhere. We are here to stay,” said the MP.

The residents who hail from Ndunguni, Mwanyani and Makima villages claimed that they were the ones who dished out portions of their land for the construction of the dams and Tarda was now mistreating them.

“We are being treated as squatters on our own land. This is unacceptable,” lamented Ms Elizabeth Syombua.

They appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene in the matter.

“Even after giving part of our land to Tarda, we were not compensated and now we are being threatened with eviction,” Ms Mary Nyengene said.

“I was born and brought up on this land and therefore I'm not going to allow anyone to intimidate me,” she added.

But a director with the authority, Mr Mureithi Kang'ara, dismissed as falsehoods, claims that the land once belonged to the residents.

Mr Kang'ara said the disputed land had been set aside for the expansion of the dams but the residents invaded it.

 “Residents have their own land but they have encroached on the agency’s property. We don't want to manhandle the residents because they are our people but they should be realistic and vacate the land so that we can develop it,” he said.