The East African Portland Cement Company (EAPCC) has announced plans to sell parcels of land to Athi River squatters for Ksh600,000. Under the plan, the squatters will pay Ksh100,000 for a beacon certificate and another Ksh500,000 within a year to buy a 40 by 80-foot block of land.
The cash-strapped company started the process of selling three parcels of land totalling 709 acres and regularizing them. On Friday of last week, the East African Portland Cement Company(EAPCC) held its first public involvement exercise to explain the selling procedure and land price, which it indicated is subject to revision after additional talks.
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In the event that the squatters occupy the majority of the plots and pay the necessary sums in full, the cement producer might raise hundreds of millions of shillings from the proposed transactions.
2019 saw the company’s board approve a plan to sell a portion of its 16,000 acres for Ksh45 billion in order to pay off debt and turn around the business.
Numerous settlers, political figures, EAPCC managers, attorneys, and Geoner Systems Ltd., which is serving as the property sale agent, were present at the meeting with squatters. Squatters have been recognized through existing umbrella organisations, according to the cement producer.
The large group of squatters from the slums of Kwa Mang’eli, Kasoito, Slaughter, Sofia, and Kinanie had written the cement manufacturer multiple letters requesting permission to occupy the area lawfully.
The squatters occupied the land in 2010. The squatters established three organized umbrella groups, including the Kathama Welfare Association, Ngwatanio ya Mukamba Self Help group, and Syokimau Mavoko Community Association. The group has since been acknowledged by EAPCC.
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