170 squatters relocated in Meru County

By Beth Nyaga

More than 170 squatters who have been putting up at Meru University of Science and Technology located at Nchiru in Tigania West Sub County have been relocated.

Each family was given Ksh 164, 000 shillings before being relocated.

The university had set aside a 38 acre piece of land for the relocation of the 38 families that offered their land for the establishment of the university.

It has been a long wait for these squatters who have been anxiously waiting to be relocated.

The exersice was headed by their Chairperson Joshua Kiria who expressed gratitude to the government and Meru University of Science and Technology in particular for finally relocating them as they could not farm in the institution’s land.

They say, life gravitated towards hardship since 1960s when they offered their land to the government for the establishment of the university.

Leaders present asked the university to give the squatters priority during employment.

Meru University Vice Chancellor Japhet  Magambo said the university had 1,200 acres of land saying the squatters  living next to the university lecture halls will be relocated on a piece of land adjacent to the university compound.

The university had earlier sued the squatters after they failed to relocate claiming that their stay was obstructing efforts to expand infrastructure at the university.

According to the university, it had on several occasions made efforts to help the squatters open another chapter in life but they declined the offer.

The land was obtained and set aside by the Njuri Ncheke for the establishment of the Meru College of Technology which was later converted to Meru University College of Science and Technology in 2008 before being renamed Meru University of Science and Technology.