Family in Kikuyu accuses chief of grabbing their land

A family in Kiambu has accused local administrators of forcefully taking their land and orchestrating arrests after the demise of their parents.

The eight-acre parcel is in Lusingeti, Kikuyu sub-county where children of the late Joseph Kioi Nganga and his wife Josephine Mumbi are fighting to reclaim it after it was allegedly grabbed by the local assistant chief and chief who have facilitated construction of a house on the land. 

Paul Kamau Mwangi, a human rights activist, says the land irregularly changed ownership from Kioi to a relative of one of the administrators.

The "grabbers" have flattened the graves and a gang guards the land. Humphrey Muchugia, Lucy Wanjiru Kioi and Lucy Wangechi say attempts to secure their ancestral land is being frustrated by provincial administrators in collusion with hired goons.

At one point, Muchugia was arrested and charged with assault before being released on a Sh10,000 cash bail while Wanjiru was arrested and charged with malicious damage to property and incarcerated at Langata Women prison.

 The family is appealing to the government to help them regain the land, which is being sub-divided. Karai chief David Mungai denied culpability saying the family is lying.