I will not sell my land to State again, says Basil Criticos

Former Taveta MP Basil Criticos speaking to journalists in the past. FILE PHOTO |

What you need to know:

  • Former MP says government had failed to settle squatters on 39,000 acres it bought from him years ago.
  • Mr Criticos owns huge chunks of land in Taveta.

Former Taveta MP Basil Criticos has vowed not to sell his land to the government.

This is after local leaders asked the national government to buy the land to settle squatters in the area.

Speaking to the Nation, Mr Criticos said the government had failed to settle squatters on 39,000 acres it bought from him years ago.

“How sure are we that when the government buys this land it will give it to the right people?” he posed.

Mr Criticos, who owns huge chunks of land in Taveta, was given consent by the High Court to subdivide 7,000 acres for sale to settle a Sh14 million loan he owes the Agricultural Finance Corporation.

The government, through the Settlement Transfer Funds, had bought 24,000 acres under Jipe settlement scheme and 15,000 under Taveta settlement.

The former MP criticised local leaders for failing to settle squatters on the 39,000 acres and instead allocated it to influential individuals.