The National Land Commission (NLC) has announced plans to compulsorily acquire land in Meru County for the realignment of Nithi River Bridge along the Makutano-Embu-Meru (A9) Road.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The decision was formalized through a Gazette Notice dated May 15, stating that the acquisition is to be carried out on behalf of Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).

“NOTICE is given that the National Land Commission intends to acquire land shown in the schedule hereunder on behalf of Kenya National Highways Authority…., for realignment of Nithi River Bridge along Makutano–Embu–Meru Road Project in Meru County,” stated the notice.

The parcels of land to be acquired are 50 in total, and cumulatively stretch 10.51 hectares based on the notice.

📌 What You Need to Know

The affected lands cut across agricultural and residential settlement zones, with dozens of registered individual landowners impacted alongside several others whose ownership records are still being formally confirmed by the relevant authorities.

Some of the affected land is sizeable, with certain privately owned pieces stretching close to two hectares, while others are smaller residential or farm plots that families have worked on and depended on for years.

The commission confirmed it is acting in accordance with section 110 of the Land Act to facilitate the bridge realignment project in Meru County which states that “ The National Land Commission (NLC) must publish a Notice of Acquisition in the Kenya Gazette, which dictates exactly when the property will vest in the government and outlines instructions regarding any plant and machinery situated on the land.”

NLC simultaneously issued a separate notice covering land in Homa Bay County, targeting areas needed for the proposed realignment of the Homa Bay-Rongo (B3) Road and the planned expansion of Kabunde Airstrip in the county.

“NOTICE is given that the National Land Commission intends to acquire land shown in the schedule hereunder on behalf of Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) in accordance with section 110 of the Land Act No. 6 of 2012 for the Proposed Re-Alignment of Homa Bay-Rongo (B3) Road to allow for the expansion of Kabunde Airstrip in Homa Bay County,” stated the notice.

The land in question in Homa Bay County spans 86 parcels, stretching 9.1095 Hectares, encompassing agricultural fields, residential zones, and institutional grounds, with owners ranging from individual farmers and religious organisations to a public university and county government entities listed in the notice.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke