The State must not be compelled to pay any compensation to a foreign investor on land that is being occupied by Kajiado residents.

In a blow by blow affidavit at the Environment and Land Court in Narok, Governor Joseph Ole Lenku said the people of Magadi deserve to live in their forefathers’ land in peace and averred that Nguruman Ltd has no case against the State.

In 2014, the Company sued the State and Mr Lenku, then the Interior Cabinet Secretary, accusing him of facilitating the community’s invasion into the Nguruman land measuring more than 65,000 acres.

The Company petitioned the Court to compel the State to compensate them for Sh50 Billion for losses they allegedly suffered when the community occupied the land.

In cross-examination by the petitioner’s lawyer, Governor Lenku emphatically stated that the land in Nguruman, Shompole and Orokiramatian group ranches belonged to the local people and they must not be disinherited.

In his further submission, the Governor asserted that while he was Interior Cabinet Secretary in 2014, he accepted a request by local elected leaders to hold a meeting in his office to discuss how the emerging land conflict between Nguruman Ltd and the local community could be resolved to avert a disruption of peace.

He explained that the Harambee House meeting did not discuss the destruction of property neither did it resolve to have the community invade the private land.

During the court session, the Governor was flanked by the chairman of Shompole Group Ranch Joel Karori and community leader John Kamanga.

In papers filed in court, Nguruman Ltd accused the then CS of having protected the elected leaders who had invaded the petitioner’s land a week after the leaders meeting.