How my 15 acre parcel ended in the hands of Governor Rasanga

Forty-eight year old HellenAchiengAloo is a common figure at Ting’ Wang’I market centre in South Alego, Siaya County. Despite having over 15 acres of land at her rural Abindu village in Nyajuok Sub location, about 10kilometres from this market centre, she is literally a squatter.Her parcel is now fenced off by Governor Cornel Rasanga, who is said to be planning to put up a modern hotel.

According to the mother of six, she was married in the area in 1994 by Samson AkooAbwanda, to replace her deceased sister who was Akoo’s first wife. The coupled stayed in Thika until 1997 when Akoo died.Achieng begun to till the land registration number 1942 untill 2015 when a Mr Walter Migele, a distant relative to her husband came into the picture.

Migele allegedly fenced off part of the land, and soon sold it to Rasanga through a hotel the Governor runs.When she inquired, Migele told her that the portion belonged to him, and he had been given by Akoo’s grandfather.“Being a widowed woman, and with nothing, I tried to follow up through the local administration but there was no help,” said Achieng.

Two years later, she was at Ting’ Wang’I Health Centre where she works as a support staff when she received a call from a neighbor that Migele was at her farm with people believed to be buyers.By the time she got to the farm, Migele and his guests had left. She then proceeded to Siaya Lands Registry to check on the status of the land.She said she found out after a search, that the land was registered under Hesborn Jura, Walter Migele and SylvestreOdhiambo, who are sons of PhillemonOkungu, a cousin to her husband’s grandfather.

The lands registry sent her to the area chief Charles Omondi to get an introductory letter before her case would be listened to. She claims the chief declined to give such a letter, and when she went back to the lands registry, she was asked to part with Sh20, 000 to facilitate her help.“I could not get such money, so I went back home, and begun to seek some advice from neighbours,” she said.

Before long, she discovered that the land had been sold to Rasanga. This sounded like the last nail in her coffin. Her attempts to seek an ear from Rasanga have been futile, as the Governor’s aides have not been friendly enough to give her that opportunity.The land is currently registered under YOUNEAR GUEST HOUSE, a hotel associated with Rasanga. And just like that, Achieng has no single inch of land to her name, and continues to live in a rented dilapidated house at Ting’ Wang’i market centre.

Achieng contacts: 0700124281/0722675530