Governor Granton Samboja is seeking the help of a court to evict eight residents he accuses of encroaching on his leased grazing area in Kishushe ranch, Taita Taveta County.
Mr Samboja argues that the residents, who are members of the Kishushe Ranching Cooperative Society, have caused his livestock to suffer due to lack of water and pasture though he is the one paying for the land.
"The defendants have encroached and brought cows and goats into the suit property without any authority and without paying a penny leaving me to suffer losses," he stated.
The governor also accuses one of the defendants, Mr Benedict Mwabili, of inciting Kishushe residents to invade the leased area
"The first defendant has notoriously continued to incite the community around Kushushe to graze their cattle in the ranch that has been leased by the plaintiff telling them that they have the right to do so even if the land does not belong to them," he says.
Documents attached to the petition filed in a Wundanyi court show that Mr Samboja has a five-year agreement with the ranch to lease part of the 60,000-acre land to graze his cows and goats.
He says he has exclusive grazing rights over the leased property. An agreement signed by Mr Samboja, his wife Stella and ranch officials, led by chairperson Elistone Mbela, shows the governor was to pay Sh80 and Sh30 every month per cow and goat respectively.
"Despite demand and notice of intention to sue having been given to the defendants, they have refused to vacate their animals from the leased area thus rendering the suit necessary," he stated.
Court papers seen by Nation.Africa show that the governor wants, under a certificate of agency a permanent injunction restraining the respondents from grazing, interfering, selling and constructing any structures on the land pending determination of the case.
