AFC now begins selling Criticos' land

Plans by the Agricultural Finance Corporation to discharge plots in the former Taveta MP Basil Criticos’ land to paid-up buyers in Taveta District is in top gear after all the formalities that halted it were met.

Mr Criticos was allowed to subdivide the 7,000-acre farm into five-acre plots to be sold to the public so that AFC could recover a loan it extended to the former MP 12 years ago but stopped by the Taveta district land control board for lack of an original title deed and consent from the relevant government departments.

AFC debt recovery Officer George Injenga said in Wundanyi on wednesday that those who had paid the Sh300,000 for the plots would be given their ownership documents soon.

"We have now followed all the necessary procedures and those who booked and paid up the land should not be worried since every thing is in order and we are waiting for the next Land control board next month to clear us," he said.

In December last year before the Land control board halted the subdivision of the land,AFC had handed over plots to the first 10 buyers who had already paid up the required amount of Sh 300,000.

Mr Injenga said those who were squatting on the land would also be given first priority to own the land once they start paying.

“Our mission here is not to play politics but to recover the money loaned to Mr Criticos in 1990,” he said.

The Sh14,185,000 loan taken in 1996 now stands at about Sh40 million after it accrued interest.

This land is not part of the 15,000 acres that the National Bank attached over a loan that Mr Criticos allegedly failed to pay and later transferred to the Government for squatter settlement.

Mr Criticos’ decision came after Special Programmes minister Naomi Shaaban threatened that the land where the former MP has been breeding seed maize would be taken over.

Mr Injenga said since they advertised the sale of the land in July last year, that has been subdivided into 1,200 plots, more than 700 applicants had paid.

He said the land sale by AFC is not a political gimmick since AFC is a government organisation that has nothing to do with politics.

He however urged the local community to take advantage of the grand sale since this was the only available opportunity to own land they never had before.

The officer said it was unfortunate that the residents were being discouraged by the local administration and politicians not to buy the land claiming that it would be taken over and be given out for free by the government.

As a matter of fact, Mr Injenga said AFC is a government organisation and no other government institution could buy the land from them.

However when contacted for comments Mr Criticos said what AFC was doing was within their powers.

“I cannot interfere with their work since they are currently the custodians of the land,” he said.

He said he was waiting for them to recover what belongs to them and leave the rest to him to continue with his farming. He said he has closed down the sisal farm since December 1 after the firm he had been selling sisal to declared incapability to buy any more fibre.

He said that despite an agreement reached three months ago between the trade union and the local administration to let the workers continue with their employment, there was no option but to lay them off.

The former MP said he has at the same time dismantled the factory plants and machinery following the closure of the farm to pave way for the government to settle squatters on the land.