A row is brewing between residents of Gatuanyaga area, Thika East Sub- County and the Kiambu County government over the use of 672 acres of land ceded by the Del Monte Kenya Limited.  

The residents are protesting the planned relocation of essential government facilities from Thika town saying it is their ancestral land and ought to be subdivided to them.

At a meeting between stakeholders at Gatuanyaga, residents urged the  county government to conduct public participation on the best way to utilise the 672 acres of land. 

Residents Development Lobby Group Chairman Paul Njomo  further said they are ready to take legal action if the county government continues with its plans.

They also vowed to block attempts to relocate essential government facilities from Thika town to the land, saying it is a well-calculated high-tech land grabbing scheme.

In the recent past, Kiambu County governor Kimani Wamatangi and Thika Member of Parliament  Alice Ngang’a have been pushing for the relocation of Thika prison, Thika stadium, Thika law courts and cemetery among other government facilities to the land which was ceded by Del Monte Kenya Limited.

This according to the two leaders will create space for infrastructural development and expansion for  establishment of Thika smart city.