Kenyatta's Northlands farm set ablaze

An armed pro-government group has today raided a farm, Northlands, owned by former president Uhuru Kenyatta’s family near Ruiru on the Eastern Bypass. By the time of publishing this article, a section of the vast farm had been set on fire.

The goons, armed with machetes and power saws according to videos circulating online had earlier in the day cut down trees and made away with stolen property that included livestock.

Raid on Kenyatta farm: goons make off with livestock

The multi-billion property linked to the Kenyatta’s family hosts the processing plant and offices of Brookside Dairy and the boarding section of the prestigious Peponi school.

The goons also attacked a group of journalists from Nation Media Group, who were covering the raid.

Northlands farm is also the same place the Kenyatta family is putting up the proposed multi-billion Northlands City project, a mega urban development comprising residential, industrial and commercial units, which will accommodate an estimated 250,000 people working and living within its boundaries. Northlands city is planned by Triad Architects and is set to be built on 11,800 acres of land.

It will also include recreation facilities, a stadium, commercial centres, industrial estates, farms, schools, civic buildings and hotels.

Opposition leaders have blamed the government, specifically Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for the raid, saying he made good his threat.

A similar group also attempted to raid a company, East Africa Spectre Ltd, that is linked to the Odinga family today.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga had yesterday issued a statement saying they had information that Gachagua was planning to use armed gangs to cause havoc and attack leaders during the ongoing countrywide protests.

Gachagua: ‘Time to handle the old man’

Gachagua has been vocal about condemning the protests organized by Odinga and in a recent event said that “it was time to handle the old man”.

“This man and his father have given us trouble in the country for 60 years now! It’s high time we deal with him once and for all.”.

MP Kimani Ichungwa had also accused Uhuru Kenyatta of being the chief sponsor for Azimio and warned that if they don’t stop the protests, they would also raid their farms so that landless Kenyans can own a parcel as well.

The opposition leaders have cited the increased cost of living as one of the key reasons for calling for mass action, which they have announced to go on weekly until the government takes action.