COURT IN BOMET ALLOWS COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE DUMPING AT SITE

COURT ALLOWS COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE DUMPING AT SITE

BY JEFFERSON KIPKEMOI.

A High court in Bomet has granted an application by the county government of Bomet to continue using the land that had been allocated for the proposed constituent college of Moi University in Bomet town as a waste dumpsite until the matter is heard and settled.

While granting the ruling Justice Martin Muya, said that the matter be heard inter parties on May 23^rd at 11 am.

The application was filed by lawyers Daniel Chege and Cosmas Koech representing the county government Bomet.

Governor Isaac Ruto had moved to court to seek orders stopping Moi University from constructing its constituent college at the land that was allocated to the institution by the national government.

While requesting for the status quo on the land to remain as the matter was being addressed by representatives of Bomet county government and Moi University, lawyer Chege told the court that the site was being used as a dumping site for the town residents waste and that the county had no other alternative land for the purpose.

Advocate Z.Yegon representing Moi University told the court that he could not establish whether the land allocated to the institution became a dumpsite recently or it had been used for the purpose many years ago.

Bomet county leaders including senator Prof. Wilfred Lesan, Sotik MP and deputy speaker of the national Assembly Dr. Joyce Laboso and Bomet Central MP Mr. Ronald Tonui were in court when the ruling was made.

The three leaders appealed to the Governor to withdraw the case and allow the construction of the University to go on and avoid losing Sh. 400 million that had already been set aside for the construction of the institution in the last and the current financial years.

"The money that was allocated for the construction of the University is likely to be returned to the treasury if the matter surrounding the land continue to raise controversy and delays." Mr. Tonui said.

Lawyer Mr. Nelson Mutai who represented the interests of area MPs and other interested parties made an application to have the group enjoined in the case and was granted by Judge Muya.

After the ruling was made, some Bomet county residents opposed to the ruling went to the streets of Bomet to demonstrate against the move and expressed that setting up a University was more beneficial than the parcel of land being utilized for dumping waste.

Longisa ward representative Stephen Chang’morik asked Members of the National Assembly from Bomet to respect the rule of law and let the court decide on the verdict of the parcel of land.