There is a deliberate scheme to take our land- Rift valley politicians reject foreign investor.
Speaking to the media, Bomet Senator Hilary Sigei and Belgut Member of Parliament Nelson Koech stated that they were not consulted before the sale of James Finlay Tea Company to a Sri Lankan.
They claimed that this is scheme aimed at take away their ancestral land from them like the colonial period. They maintained a proper consultation and involvement of the two counties in deciding the future of the tea farm should have been done.
MP Koech stated,”There is a deliberate scheme by multinationals to take the land of our people and use it and become brokers on behalf of people who want to profiteer from the soil of our land at the expense of our people.”
“Our people were displaced so that the tea farm could be set up. The sale that was done to sell the Finlay’s company as much as it was technically legal was very unfair because the local residents were not involved,” Koech added.
On his part, Sigei highlighted that Neither kericho nor Bomet county government officials were involved in the sale, and that was so wrong.
He stated,” I am told that they have given the local community 15 per cent. I want to ask how and what parameters were used to determine what would remain to the owner of the land. This is our ancestral land, and we have a right to it. The Constitution of Kenya guided that all 999-year leases be converted to 99-year leases,”
” For every land transaction that touches such an emotive issue, it is naturally expected that the respective counties are involved,”Sigei added.
This comes after the company agreed to sell to a Sri Lankan. The notice read,”The sale will include all parts of James Finlay Kenya Ltd except the Saosa tea extraction facility.”
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