CS Linturi blamed over Meru university title delay
Members of the community from South Imenti address the media at Nkubu on 10.02.2023. They complained that delay in issuance of title deed might delay the project.
Residents of Imenti want President William Ruto to intervene over a “stalemate” in efforts to secure a title deed for a 50-acre piece of land for establishment of a university campus.
The residents of Kathera and Nkuene said when they conceived the idea of setting up a constituent college of the Meru University of Science and Technology (MUST), they selected a committee that was charged with the responsibility of pursuing the matter and started the process of hiving off 50 acres from 164 acres of community land at Marimba.
Addressing the media at Nkubu on Saturday, the committee said their efforts to secure the piece of land had hit a brick wall, and blamed Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi for the stalemate.
“After consulting the management at MUST we entered into an agreement in 2014. The institution has now been promised funding by a Canadian organization to the tune of Sh12 billion to establish a college that will offer agriculture courses,” said Rev Stephen Muriuki, the committee chairman.
He said former Meru governor Kiraitu Murungi and former Agriculture CS Peter Munya wrote letters of ‘no objection’ to the National Lands Commission (NLC) but the process had not been completed by the time they left office in August last year, the reason they had to consult the current CS who they say has delayed the process.
The committee secretary Mr Mwiti Muthoiri said when they sought assistance from Mr Linturi, he told them he had to first consult President Ruto.
“Despite giving us an appointment, he did not meet us but sent an officer who told us the CS said he could not issue a letter of no objection before consulting President Ruto,” said Mr Muthoiri.
He said when the community was hiving off part of the land for construction of a tea factory, a church and a primary school over the past 20 years, there was no time the Head of State needed to be consulted before issuance of the title deed.
New regime
“We wonder what has changed now with the new regime. We are appealing to President Ruto to intervene and give us a go ahead to build our university. With the delay in the issuance of the title deed we fear that this might discourage the financiers,” he added.
Contacted for a comment, an officer in Mr Lithuri’s communication department said the area MP Dr Shadrack Mwiti was following up the matter with the CS and wondered why members of the community had “jumped the gun” and started complaining.
“The MP has spoken to the CS and the matter is being addressed. It is barely three weeks since they visited Mr Linturi’s office and they should be patient,” the officer said.
