Chaos erupt at Criticos farm

Chaos erupted again in a farm owned by former Taveta MP Basil Criticos on Thursday evening.

Workers were attacked and seriously injured by land speculators eyeing the controversial Machunwani farm.

A group of about 200 youth armed with basic weapons descended on the former MPs workers. Among the attackers was one of the suspected killers of an Irish gemstone miner, Campbell Bridges, about three years ago but who is on bail.

The MP said he was dismayed and attributing it to the delay by the National Land Commission to make decisions.

The former MP has faulted the commission’s handling of the Machunwani farm which is being targeted by squatters.

Speaking in Taveta town on Friday, Mr Criticos said the issue was of private property and handling it at public meetings was suicidal.

LOCKED OUT OF MEETING

Two weeks ago, he was locked out of a meeting between Taveta leaders and the national land commission.

“Being locked out of a meeting that was discussing my property was an indication that the commission was taking sides,” he said.

The land was acquired in 1972 when it was auctioned by the Standard Chartered Bank over an unpaid loan, he said. He denied it was grabbed.

“I do not have any problem sitting in a meeting discussing the farm because I have the right to understand if I qualify to have an extension of the lease or not,’ he said.

He said his tribulations started in 2000 when he fell out with President and fled to self-exile in the United States of America. On his return in 2003 he found part of his farm was invaded by squatters.

Today, land speculators targeting his Machunwani farm have started building homes ahead of the land commission’s decision on the expired lease.