Gilgil Muslims protest grabbing of cemetery land

The Muslim residents led by their community leaders from the Gilgil Jamia Mosque Committee lamented that land grabbers had set their eyes on a Muslim cemetery in Gilgil, which they said has been in use for more than 80 years. (Courtesy)

THE FRIDAY BULLETIN

NAIROBI—Muslims in Gilgil, Nakuru County have strongly protested against grabbing and encroachment of a cemetery land belonging to the community by private developers.

The Muslim residents led by their community leaders from the Gilgil Jamia Mosque Committee lamented that land grabbers had set their eyes on a Muslim cemetery in Gilgil, which they said has been in use for more than 80 years.

According to the mosque Secretary, Suleiman Musa a section of the cemetery land allocated to Muslims by the now defunct former Nakuru Municipal Council had been encroached and grabbed by a private developer.

Angered by the grabbing the Muslim leaders, decided to seek the intervention of the Nakuru county government leadership and National Land Commission (NLC) County Coordinator’s office in Nakuru where they presented a memorandum to NLC County Coordinator Frank Ole Kibelekenya demanding action against the private developer.

The developer who was identified as Lucy Wanjiku Kimani, it is allegedly claimed that she acquired part of the cemetery in December last year and started developing.

In response to their grievances, County Coordinator Ole Kibelekenya said that the National Lands Commission will investigate how the private developer managed to acquire a title deed without following the due process of the law.

To protect the land which is located along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway, the mosque committee has embarked on plans to erect a perimeter wall around the graveyard to protect it from unscrupulous individuals.

“We appeal to Muslims around the country to support our endeavor to protect this property,” said Suleiman.