East African Portland Cement (EAPC) has announced that it is selling a section of its land in Athi River, Machakos County. This notice comes as demolitions go on in Mavoko.

The EAPC indicated in a notice published on Tuesday that the parties currently occupying sections of lots 8784/144,145, and 653 Mavoko will be given precedence.

PHOTO | COURTESY woman cries outside her demolished house

"Those in this kind of situation are advised to state their claim of the same within 14 days from the date of this notice," the statement stated in part.

After 14 days, all unclaimed portions must be made available to the general public on a willing buyer-willing seller basis.

Meanwhile, a site office has been constructed, as has another along the Namanga road of EAPC.

After claimants failed to present paperwork establishing title, EPLC won a judicial battle to evict squatters from 1,740 hectares of their land in Machakos County.

PHOTO | COURTESY Portland cement notice

Some locals are now begging President William Ruto to intercede and protect them from the devastation that has forced them to flee their homes, while others are seeking compensation.

Reports, however, indicate that the buyers had been warned by the Portland cement company and the former Machakos county governor against buying the land in Mavoko.

In November 2015, the former governor wrote a letter to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission CEO Halakhe Waqo, asking him to investigate the alleged illegal sale of the land.

“Buyer beware. These parcels of land are not for sale L.R NOs 10425, 8786, 10424, 7815/1 and 8784/4, located on both sides of Mombasa Road between Green Park and Daystar University. All the above parcels are the property of the East African Portland Cement Company.

PHOTO | COURTESY Alfred Mutua

He said that he knows the land is public property and that some individuals, including the government, plan to sell it to unsuspecting kenyans. 

"I write to request for an urgent investigation into ongoing corruption and land grabbing of East African Portland Cement Company Limited land L.R. No. 7815/1, 10424, 10425, 8784/4 and 8786 located at Athi River, Mavoko Constituency," Mutua said in the letter.

"The land, leased to East African Portland Cement Company Limited, has started being grabbed, sub-divided and sold, without the knowledge of the East African Portland Cement Company Limited Board and my Government of Machakos." the letter adds.