Duale Issues Strict Guidelines to Landowners Near KDF Camps

Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has warned landowners near Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) camps in the country. 

In a strict order, Duale has directed those with lands near KDF camps to seek direct approval from the Chief of Defence Forces Francis Ogolla.

"If you are a neighbour to any KDF camp in the country and you want to build whatever you want to construct must be approved by the Chief of Defence Forces," he stated.

Speaking in Uasin Gishu County, Duale noted that the directive is due to security purposes and to avert land wrangles with the locals.

"Our camps are security installations," Duale insisted noting that even the number of floors near its headquarters in Nairobi must be approved by the Chief of Defence Forces.

At the same time, he warned buyers against falling victim to fraudsters purporting to represent KDF in land transactions.

Duale noted that many land wrangles are in Kwale, Meru, Isiolo and Uasin Gishu. He however vowed to tackle the issue and revert the said pieces of land to the army.

In his first step to addressing the issue, Duale convened a meeting in Eldoret over a long-running row over ownership of more than 5,000 acres of land occupied by KDF at Moi barracks in Eldoret. 

More than 1,000 families of squatters have been claiming ownership of part of the land popularly known as Kiplombe Nine Farms. There have been recurrent violent clashes between KDF officers and the squatters leading to deaths in the past.

During the meeting, Duale made it clear that the land belongs to KDF and advised the residents to find a lasting solution.