By MN Reporter

Business was at stand still at Rapogi trading center after the area residents took to the street over land which they claim was being grabbed by the county government of Migori.

The furious residents of Kanyamgudho location Kanyamkago west ward Uriri sub-county matched all the way from Rapogi trading center to the governor’s home with placards and twigs chanting ‘Obado must go for grabbing our land’.

They however demanded to be addressed by the governor whom they claim was behind the land grabbing issue.

Residents claimed that the county government liaised with a private developer to fleece them for their land over a planned project which they refuted was a trick to own the land for selfish gain.

Led by Dickens Ogutu the residents claimed that the planned irrigation scheme by county government and the World Bank is dubious as members of the community were not conclusively consulted over the planned project making them to learn of mischief.

The residents however stressed that they have no place to go with their siblings after their land is taken away claiming that they have stayed in the area ever since and for someone to come and evict them is infringing on their constitutional right.

“If the governor have joined together and other elected leaders on the land issue, we as the area residents we shall not be moved,” they said.

They dispute the numerous meeting held by the assistant county commissioner for Uriri and other government officials no constructive agreement has been reached to have the land put under a project saying even the political leadership have been consulted and their consent sort for the initiation of the project have never been made public.

They walked for several kilometers to the governor’s local home before proceeding to area MPs office only to disperse few minutes later as there was no one to address their grievances.

They took issues with the governor Okoth Obado and the area MP John Kobado for refusing to be told the truth even after having talks with the leaders over the same.

On her part a constituency official who did not want to be named on due to sensitivity of the matter said the planned project started 20 years ago and the area MP and the governor had no obligation nothing to do.

She however claimed that the demonstrations were politically motivated and that the residents had to follow the right channel to address their grievances.

“This was a national government initiative and so the locals ought to have directed their grievances to the right office. What I can see from this is that the demonstration was politically motivated,” she reiterated.

She however said it was within the confines of the residents’ constitutional right to stage demonstration to express their dissatisfaction.

Land grabbing issues has never been addressed in Migori with the county government being accused of grabbing land in Nyatike gold mine, Rapogi and the Kitere.