Report reveals land scams in Athi River

Fraudsters are invading public land, sub-dividing it and selling it to unsuspecting Kenyans after obtaining fake title deeds.

And when genuine owners try to reclaim the land, they are chased away by thugs hired by the fraudsters.

This is according to a report by a task force formed to unearth the controversial land ownership in Athi River.

In the report presented to Internal Security minister George Saitoti on Wednesday, chairman of the task force John Abduba said many homeowners and private developers who illegally bought land in the area should be evicted.

“The land should revert back to its lawful owners who may need to be assisted to access it,” said Mr Abduba. The evictions will only be carried out if the government implements the report.

The task force, which drew members from various government ministries, established that “gullible” Kenyans bought land belonging to the National Housing Corporation, National Social Security Fund and Kenya Meat Commission.

Acres of the resource belonging to Meat Training Institute, Numerical Machinery Complex, East African Portland Cement Company as well as private individuals has also been invaded.

Prof Saitoti directed Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere to start investigating fraudsters mentioned in the report.

He however declined to reveal their identities.

“The police should immediately arrest those behind these illegal transactions. I assure genuine private developers, that my ministry will always facilitate legal transactions, ”said Prof Saitoti.

The minister also lifted a caveat which barred the Athi River Land Control Board from conducting transactions until the task force had finished its work.

A special unit within the Criminal Investigations Department has since been formed to probe land issues in Kenya.

“We are also closely working with the Lands ministry to know how these titles were acquired,” said Prof Saitoti.

Mr Abduba said that irregular land appropriations and illegal acquisitions had led to increase in fake land documents.

These have been used to dupe unsuspecting land buyers into purchasing non-existent land. The task force was also mandated to look into the “squatter problem” in Athi River, but found there were none.

Its report mentioned there are 10,000 slum dwellers on illegally acquired land who pose as internally displaced persons.

“There is need to stop further invasions, illegal sale and settlement by individuals on land they don’t own,” said Mr Abduba.

A new District Commissioner has been deployed to Athi River to oversee fresh land transactions.

Mr Abduba’s team was also establish whether land rates were paid to Mavoko council, name public officers involved in the irregular allocations and explore the inability of the Lands Control Board to stop the transactions.