By Obegi Malack
@obegimalack
Governor Joseph ole Lenku led members of Maasai Community in a protest against Tata Chemicals Magadi Ltd on Thursday.
The protest caused panic among factory workers who closed down offices as they scrambled for safety fearing being attacked.
According to Lenku’s press unit the governor told the workers it was a peaceful protest to force the company to give back what belongs to them.
“No one will harass you. The community has no problem with the workers. We have a problem with the management,” said the Governor.
The press unit indicated that the police who were armed with teargas retreated to the Magadi police post after realizing the protest was a peaceful and under control by leaders.
The protesters later held a meeting with the governor, MCAs led by Magadi’s Joseph Masiaya and Mosiro’s Peter Tirishe in the company’s Cinema Hall grounds.
“They have dispossessed the community of land amounting to 190,000 acres of land which is under their lease but is not under any utilization,” said Governor Lenku.
According to a source the management was aware of the protests.
Lenku is insisting that Tata Chemicals Ltd is sitting on more than 224, 000 acres of land and must respect all the stipulated laws governing rates’ payment. He says the company has broken, mining Act (2016), public Health Act and finance Act (2016)
The county is owed by Tata Company Sh17billion in land rate arrears dating back to 2013.