BY MANUEL ODENY

Ting’a marked has sparked a fresh boundary row between Nyamira and Kisii counties.

Peter Otachi, the ward rep for Monyerero in Kitutu Chache North from Kisii county sparked the simmering row when he wrote to the Nyamira government, demanding that it withdraw its revenue officers from the urban that straddles the border of the two counties.

The letter, “Illegal Encroachment on Ting’a Market”, was dated September 16 and addressed to the Nyamira finance chief officer.

The letter claims Ting’a market and Ting’a dispensary lie on the Kisii side of the border and threatened to pick up the matter to higher levels if the notice was violated.

Otachi is the area’s ward rep and said residents have already led an “outcry of the market’s traders in their quest for justice”.

“You immediately cease and desist … conduct of any activities purporting that you are in control of the said region,” he demanded in the letter.

“Consequently, that you do withdraw with immediate effect any of your employees including but not limited to your revenue collection officers from Ting’a market,” the letter said.

Nyamira County Assembly through speaker Enock Okero has formed a special committee to look into the matter and appointed Rigoma MCA Nyambega Gisesa to lead the committee.

The committee will also help identify parcels of land belonging to Nyamira that are occupied or are under threat of being occupied by Kisii.

Among those contested land are Jogoo area of Kisii town, Kisii Bottlers area, Kisii National Polytechnic and Kisii County Assembly headquarters that are all said to be within the boundaries of Nyamira.

The committee has written to the State Department of Lands, Physical Planning and Housing, requesting information regarding the county’s boundaries with Kisii, Bomet, Kisumu and Homa Bay counties.

The boundary row follows the now-concluded dispute about the location of Keroka town, which lies on the Kisii-Nyamira boundary.