TENSION BREWING AMONG RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG THE MERU ISIOLO BOARDER OVER LAND DISPUTE
Tension is brewing among residents along the Meru Isiolo boarder area known as Gambela over land ownership dispute.
Over 700 members of the Tawakal farmers society who own over 400 acres in the area have appealed to the government to intervene after some of their officials allegedly colluded with private developers and sold sections of the land.
Members of society which has 1,932 members registered the land which is ancestral home to many of the members in 2014 according to documents that they possess. This they said was before the private developers started streaming in after the area was opened up by the horn of Africa Road which is currently being constructed.
Hussein Gillo said over 700 members have owned the 400 acres of land a situation that changed in the year 2021 when Halkano Galglo who was the chairman to the society colluded with private developers aided by authorities to sell the land.
Thing have never been the same as the private owners now use guns to flush them out whenever they try to carry out activities on the land.
He called on the Internal security department to carry out investigations on their claims to see to it that justice is served.
Ogila Gillo accused a former chairperson to the society, some administrative officers and some members of DCI from Meru of colluding to sell land belonging to the members to private developers who are now in the process of putting up hotels and ranches in the area.
According to Mohamed Abdi the land was an ancestral land to many and was later registered under ownership of the society since land ownership was not officially gazzeted by the government.
He claimed powerful forces have now taken over and are using guns to intimidate the locals whenever they try to access the land. He claimed many rights violations have been experienced and witnessed by the residents.
Dhahabo Guyo said that the residents are now willing to go to all lengths to protect further grabbing on the land including going to court to exhaust other avenues of justice.
She urged the ministry of interior to visit the area and listen to the grievances of the residents.
Rukia Waqo alleged that women have been raped and through intimidated plans a strategy that is being devised to flush them out of the area by powerful forces.