OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR GOVERNMENT OF MAKUENI COUNTY THE FACTS ON THE LOCATION OF KONZA TECHNOCITY In the wake of recent reports attributed to Hon Charity K. Ngilu, the Lands Cabinet Secretary alleging that Konza Techno City is in Machakos , the Governor of Makueni County, together with the entire County leadership i.e. the Senator, Members of Parliament, Members of the Makueni County Assembly and the people of Makueni wish to set forth the following facts about the location of Konza Techno City: • Konza Techno City is in Makueni County. The Districts and Provinces Act of 1992 clearly describes the boundary between Makueni and Machakos Districts, and those are the boundaries that were adopted by the Constitution of Kenya 2010 as the boundaries for these two Counties. That boundary places Konza Techno City squarely within KiimaKiu/Kalanzoni Ward, Kilome Constituency in Makueni County. Any changes to district and boundaries subsequent to 1992 law that happened politically, administratively or by presidential fiat were not relevant to establishment of the 47 counties enshrined in the constitution and that is why post 1992 district such as Mwingi district and other did not become counties. • Malili Ranch, from whom the government purchased the 5,000 acres for Konza Techno City, was always part of Kilome Constituency even before the creation of Makueni District. Kilome Constituency is part of Makueni County, so how can a part of it be alleged to be in Machakos County? • When the government purchased the land for the Konza Techno City from Malili Ranch, all the necessary survey, sub-division and planning approvals were obtained from the offices of the District Lands Registrar at Makueni and the District Planner at Makueni. How then can the Cabinet Secretary say the city is located in Machakos County? • In the recent statement by the Cabinet Secretary submitted to the Senate, the Cabinet Secretary referred to ‘The Districts and Provinces Act, 1992 (Revised 2012)’. This reference to ‘(Revised 2012)’ was either ignorant or deliberately misleading, as the Districts and Provinces Act of 1992 has never been amended or revised. The County boundaries remain as described in the Districts and Provinces Act of 1992. period. • The Government of Makueni County has in the past written to various players in national government – the Commission on Implementation of the Constitution, the National Land Commission, the Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC), even the President of the Republic –in a bid to put an end to this perceived controversy on the location of Konza Techno City. The IEBC in response undertook to make a physical tour of Konza together with the relevant stakeholders and walk the boundary described in the Districts and Provinces Act of 1992, but on the 2 occasions that a date was set for this exercise the Cabinet Secretary refused to support the exercise by failing to send the surveyors from the Lands Ministry to guide the team. • On 28th March 2014, at the first Ukambani Leaders’ Forum on Devolution held at Kitui, the Governors for Makueni, Machakos and Kitui Counties signed a resolution clearly stating that Konza City is in Makueni County and they resolved to lobby for the speedy execution of the project. It is clear then that there is no contestation among the three Counties as to the location of Konza City. • The Cabinet Secretary secretly approved the Konza Techno City Buffer Zone Development plan on 20th December 2013, despite having received objections from the Governor Makueni County, the management of Konza Ranching & Farming Co-operative Society Limited, and some residents of Malili Sub-Location. The Cabinet Secretary had assured all of these parties that she would not approve the plan until their objections had been fully addressed, but then she went ahead to approve it and publish an obscure notice in the newspapers on 25th December 2013 – Christmas Day! • What becomes clear from all the foregoing is that there are players outside of the Ukambani region who are playing politics with the Konza Techno City and a vision 2030 flagship project. The remarks by the Cabinet Secretary are seen as calculated either to create division between the people of Makueni and Machakos County hence disharmony in the region, or to derail the development of Konza City which has already been unduly delayed. • We, the leadership and citizenry of Makueni County, now call upon His excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya to intervene and bring to an end the political games around the Konza Techno City/Vision 2030 flagship project and fast track its implementation starting in this financial year 2014/2015 H.E Prof. Kivutha Kibwana Governor, Makueni County
Posted on: Mon, 12 May 2014 16:27:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015