Tensions flared in Makutano, Meru town, on Thursday as parents and students from Kinoru Primary School took to the streets in protest over what they claim is an illegal attempt to grab school land by their area Member of Parliament, Rahim Dawood.
The peaceful demonstration, which disrupted traffic along the busy Makutano–Meru highway, was sparked by what the school’s leadership and community have termed as a “coordinated and unlawful” move to subdivide and annexe part of the school’s land, allegedly under instructions from the MP.
Addressing the media during the protest, the school’s Board of Management (BOM) chairman, Captain Paul Rukaria, said the incident began on September 23 when a surveyor visited the institution with orders to survey the school’s land, registered as LR Ntima/Igoki 1750 for subdivision.
“The surveyor claimed to be acting on instructions from the area MP and carried a letter addressed to the County CECM for Lands.
He also presented minutes of a so-called ‘stakeholders’ meeting,’ riddled with irregularities, including a lack of proper notice and agenda, inconsistencies in dates, and missing signatures.
The meeting was allegedly held on November 3, 2023, but the minutes were only stamped in July 2024, a clear indication of manipulation,” Rukaria said.
Captain Rukaria further revealed that the BOM, which was fortunately in session during the surveyor’s visit, declined to authorise the exercise, citing violations of the Basic Education Act, land laws, and other regulations governing public institutions.
According to the BOM, public school property is held in trust by the Ministry of Education, and no single entity, including MPs or county officials, has the authority to alienate or transfer school land without proper procedure and stakeholders’ involvement.
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“The BOM has a constitutional mandate to protect school assets, including land. The annexation of this land not only violates the law but goes against the interests of our learners,” Rukaria said.
The disputed land currently hosts multiple education levels, ECDE, primary, junior secondary, and day secondary schools, as well as public utility installations by KPLC and the Meru Water and Sewerage Services (MEWAS).
Management said any reduction in the land area would severely impact the learning environment and future development plans.
The Ministry of Education and the County Lands Office are yet to release an official statement regarding the matter.
While the school management clarified they are not opposed to the construction of a sub-county Administrative Centre office (ACC) and a police post, they insisted that alternative land is available within the nearby Kinoru Stadium Complex, which was already earmarked for such developments.
He noted that they want the national government to intervene and assist in establishing scientific ICT laboratories, a much-needed kitchen and dining Hall, and to support plans for boarding and accommodation facilities within the school.
“As custodians of this land, we welcome government projects, but not at the expense of our school’s future. We urgently call upon the national government to intervene —not to take our land, but to support us in setting up scientific ICT laboratories, a kitchen, a dining hall, and, eventually, boarding facilities.
“It is clear that every inch of our land is of utmost necessity, so we cannot afford to alienate even an inch of the land,” Rukaria concluded.
Dawood refuted the claims, stating that it was agreed in a meeting with all stakeholders, and that written minutes of the meeting dated November 3 were available.
The said parcel of land was agreed by BOM to be transferred to the office of the Deputy County Commissioner to hold in Trust. They also requested KPLC to get out of the said plot so that the land is usable for storied buildings,” he said.
By John Majau.
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