By John Mugendi
Tharaka Nithi County Commissioner Ms Beverly Opwora has been drawn into the contentious Kamaindi and Kamwimbi B adjudication wrangles.
The residents are accusing the administrator of conspiring with a group of people from Embu County who also claim ownership of the land with a promise of being allocated 100 acres of land allegations that she has dismissed as false.
The residents led by Mr Joseph Njeru, Kamaindi Land Adjudication Section committee chairman blamed Ms Opwora for the stopping of the implementation of a court ruling ordering continuation of the suspended land adjudication exercise.
“We have learned that our county commissioner had been meeting Ngome elders from Embu County and has been promised some land,” said Mr Njeru.
However, the official said that the work had not started due to a lack of funds to facilitate the exercise.
She also cited security concerns noting that the land issue had become very emotive and there was a need for adequate security for the officers conducting the adjudication exercise.
“There are a lot of allegations but the fact is that my single interest is to see the residents issued with title deeds,” said Ms Opwora.
I have no interest in the land, the only problem is lack of funds to facilitate the adjudication exercise and I am working on the issue”
The matter has been in court since 2013 and has been heard in lands court in Embu, Kirinyaga and Meru counties before a ruling in Chuka Lands and Environment court by Justice Peter Njoroge.
The longstanding land dispute in Kamaindi and Kamwimbi areas is suspected to have contributed to the murder of Kamaindi Chief Japhet Mukengu, Chuka OCS Joseph Kinyua and three residents in 2019.
