At least 300 Chelimo plot owners risked forfeiting theirs to the state or squatters should the current Kericho government officials fail act.
The plot owners have since appealed to President William Ruto to intervene and have the legally owned plots , holders of letters of allotment and title deeds own what they have.
They expressed fear the plots they legally own could be allocated to the self-proclaimed squatters.
At a highly charged owners meeting,Saturday,it was resolved that government officers charged with re-planning of the plots suspend the exercise until their fate is dealt with once and for all.
Two former Kericho mayors Sammy Rugut, Isaih Rono and a former deputy mayor Wesley Ruto expressed concern that the plots might be allocated to self-proclaimed squatters.
The mayors’ said plot owners are concerned since they are holders of genuine letters of allotment and title deeds and not the squatters.
Mayor Rugut said they are not opposed to the squatters being allocated plots at Chelimo, but lands officers mandated to carry out the exercise should not allocate their plots to them (squatters).
During the visit of Lands Principal Secretary Nixon Korir at Chelimo two weeks ago, he he assured the squatters of being allocated plots at Chelimo but never mentioned anything about the plot owners.
“The PS only talked about how the squatters would be settled at Chelimo without mentioning the fate of legal owners” mayor Rugut recalled.
He said Chelimo is a vast parcel of land that can accommodated government housing project, plots owners and the squatters but political element in the matter may leave some concerned parties aggrieved.
He appealed to PS Korir to personally intervene by having the re-planning of the plots at Chelimo until such a time plots owners’ fate is solved once and for all.
Chelimo Plot Owners chairman Alhaji Abdullahi said it is in bad faith to ignore the plight of plot owners against that of self-proclaimed squatters.
He appealed to President William Ruto to intervene by ensuring those who got the plots through the then Municipal County of Kericho retained them as long they holders of genuine letters of allotment and title deeds.
The so-called squatters, mayor Rugut said are well known individuals who hail from Kericho,Bomet and Transmara and came and started farming before turning squatters on plots we legally own.
In early 80s,Chelimo ,mayor Rono recalled was a dense forest ,inhabited by Columbus monkeys and other mammals.
He said the then forest became a hideout for criminals and escapees from Kericho government Kenya prisons , forcing the government to order the clearing of the dense forest.
A one time an administrative chief, Mayor Rono said took advantage of allocating some individuals farms for farming at Chelimo,who later on turned out to be squatters.
ENDS
