Orengo: Prime plot is State property
A prime city plot given to a firm believed to be associated with Goldenberg fraudster Kamlesh Pattni is government property, Lands minister James Orengo told Parliament on Thursday.
The transactions involving Galaxy Walter Limited and Azarel Investment “were tainted with fraud”, he told the House, and added that he had stopped all transactions on the four-acre Museum Hill property until the matter is deliberated in Cabinet.
Answering a question by an MP, the minister said it was his intention to cancel the title deed. “Presently, there is no evidence that the grantees have the financial capability to develop the land.
They have not submitted approved plans from the City Council and those made available to the ministry do not demonstrate a serious undertaking to construct a seven-star or even five-star hotel,” said the Lands minister.
However, he clashed with Trade minister Amos Kimunya who differed with the history of the public land, situated at the Uhuru Highway/Westlands Road and Chiromo-Museum Road junction.
Mr Kimunya rose on a point of order to deny that he ever approved either the sale of the land or the extension of the lease held by Tourism Paradise Investment Ltd.
“I do not recall giving any approval for either extension or sale. The application was for the waiver of interest accrued based on the request from the Lands ministry,” said Mr Kimunya.
Repossess
Mr Orengo said the deal was approved by Head of the Civil Service Francis Muthaura, then acting Finance minister John Michuki and the Office of the President. But Gichugu MP Martha Karua demanded that Mr Orengo repossesses the land.
“Can we be told why he cannot repossess the land? This is the making of a scandal directing itself to where mega-corruption began,” she said. Mutito MP Kiema Kilonzo sought to know which ministers had been involved in the transactions of the land, and also asked why the government was hesitant to repossess it.
Although the Lands minister said he was on course to cancel the title on the land, he had to conduct due diligence on it first. “Having heard what the House has said, bear with me, I will do what is right for this country,” said Mr Orengo.
