- Leaders propose excising Kinoru Primary land to establish a Sh5m sub‑county headquarters and police post, sparking community opposition.
- School board and parents resist, citing inadequate acreage for four institutions sharing the compound and rising enrolment under CBC.
- Calls for dialogue and legal adherence emerge, with MCA Mutethia urging compromise and Meru Lands Office stressing proper planning laws.
A dispute is brewing between leaders and residents of Kinoru area in Imenti North Constituency over a proposal to excise part of Kinoru Primary School’s land to pave the way for a sub-county headquarters and a police post.
The disagreement came to a head during a public participation forum held at Kinoru Youth Empowerment Social Hall, moderated by Deputy County Commissioner Ondilia Ndeti, which brought together government officials, education stakeholders and residents to deliberate on the proposed land excision.
Area MP Rahim Dawood told the forum that priority should be given to establishing the Kinoru sub-county administrative office, saying the security facility would cost Sh5 million and was vital for all stakeholders involved.
“The project will be established for Sh5 million to enhance security in the locality for the stakeholders. Kinoru sub-county headquarters and a police post are vital. They should be supported instead of politicising it on political grounds,” Dawood said.
But Kinoru Primary School Board of Management Chairman Captain Paul Rukaria rejected the proposed takeover, arguing that the school’s remaining acreage was already inadequate for the four learning institutions currently sharing the compound. He explained that the 10 acres in question host an Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centre, Kinoru Primary School, a junior secondary school and Kinoru Day Secondary School, all of which share a single playground.
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“The institution cannot surrender part of its land because the remaining acreage is already inadequate for the four schools currently operating within the compound,” Rukaria said, adding that enrolment is expected to rise further under the Competency-Based Curriculum, making additional classrooms and facilities inevitable in the coming years.
“We anticipate the school will grow and we will need to expand the institution with more streams. The little land remaining is very small. We are not against development or the construction of administrative headquarters and a police station, but let them seek land from somewhere else and leave our land for future use by the school,” he said.
Dawood urged all stakeholders to resolve the matter amicably, insisting the project was intended to improve security and bring government services closer to residents. He expressed regret that some opponents of the project wanted it relocated to Thuura instead. “They have ill motives to deny you development. Stop being lied to by politicians. If you do not want this development, I can take the money elsewhere. The project will improve security and bring government services closer to citizens, including police officers, chiefs and their assistants and job recruitment opportunities among others,” he said, adding that he had undertaken more development projects at the school than in many others across North Imenti.
The proposal has drawn opposition from sections of the community, with some parents recently staging demonstrations against plans to use part of the school’s land for the government project.
Municipality MCA Caleb Mutethia called for dialogue, saying the community needed to find a middle ground that would accommodate both the proposed development and the school’s future needs. “We must agree as a community. The project is meant to help the community, and if we don’t support it, we stand to lose. We need a middle ground where the community benefits,” Mutethia said.
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Mutethia said he had taken into account the concerns raised by the Board of Management and community representatives, while maintaining that the project carried significant value. “As much as we are growing, we must carefully handle the problem before us. I have taken into consideration the sentiments by Captain Rukaria and the community representatives, but I can guarantee the project is of great value. Our children will need more facilities in future, but we should also ask ourselves how many parcels of public land have ended up in the hands of grabbers. We should not oppose development because of politics,” he said.
Meru County Chief Officer for Lands Haron Mbai urged all parties to adhere to planning laws, saying public land must be managed in a manner that serves the wider public interest. “All public land must be protected and used for purposes that serve the interests of the community. The county government is the planning authority, and my advice is that the law must be followed when planning land belonging to educational institutions. We have to plan for that land, and no one should oppose development,” Mbai said.
By John Majau
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