The Story of Kraulen, Moiben

 Kraulen, also known as Sergoit Holding Ground in Moiben, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, has been in the news recently due to ongoing controversy. This has prompted the local MP Hon. Prof. Phylis Barto to petition the matter to parliament for investigation.

The issue revolves around the irregular allocation of land and the need to compensate families who gave up their land for public use.
The land in question was historically alienated under the Crown and was designated for specific purposes during the colonial period. After Kenya gained independence in 1963, Crown Lands were transferred to the government. Sergoit Holding Ground was them converted and a Livestock Research Center for the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development was established. It operated until the 1980s when President Daniel Arap Moi directed that 200 acres be given to four individuals as compensation for their 69 acres, which were acquired for extending St. Patrick's High School in Iten.
Under the agreement 40% of the land would be given to the local community. However, while some families received compensation in the form of other land parcels, many others were left out. The intended compensation land was fraudulently acquired by individuals.
In 1992, during the initial land allocation for compensation, some individuals and entities were irregularly given land parcels by the provincial administration. This led to complaints from residents, prompting a task force to investigate in 2016. The investigation revealed anomalies, leading to the formation of three splinter groups within the community due to internal disagreements.
One of the groups created a new map dividing the land into Sergoit/Karuna Block 5, causing boundary disputes with the 1992 allocations. The Sergoit community and uncompensated landowners formed a committee to address the issue, with the support of the county commissioner who placed a caveat on any transactions involving Crown land until the matter is resolved.
Out of the 1,500 acres, only 900 acres are occupied by legitimate beneficiaries who now face displacement due to the 2016 subdivision map. Approximately 450 acres are allegedly occupied illegally by private developers, while 150 acres serve as a water catchment area.

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