Orengo blames MPs for land fraud
A section of MPs were accused on Tuesday of colluding with fraudsters to allocate Kenyans public land.
Although the legislators were not named, Cabinet ministers James Orengo and Amos Kimunya imputed that some MPs who appeared not to want the truth of the Syokimau allocations to come out had worked in league with some known groups that allocated land to the people who in turn built homes that were demolished by the government at the weekend. (READ: More airport homes knocked down)
The Lands and Transport ministers, amidst interruption to their contributions by MPs in Parliament, said all the documents including title deeds issued to the victims of Syokimau demolitions were all fake.
“All of these papers that have been flying around are fake and do not exist in the ministry. I am prepared to prove to this House that they are all forgeries and all the documents that have been tabled before this House must be interrogated,’’ Mr Orengo said.
The minister spoke in reference to documents tabled by Kathiani MP Wavinya Ndeti and her Embakasi counterpart Ferdinard Waititu intended to prove that the allocations were done legally and the plot owners had documents of ownership from the Lands Ministry and rate payments from the Mavoko Municipal Council.
But Mr Orengo described as fraudsters a company by the Mlolongo Brothers and Uungani, saying they sold land to unsuspecting buyers using fake documents.
He said all the land in which the houses stood was owned by the Kenya Airports Authority and had never been exercised. (SEE IN PICTURES: Syokimau demolitions)
Saying he did not support the manner in which the Syokimau buyers were evicted, the minister called for the arrest of “those who have caused this misery and affliction to Kenyans.’’
He said there were known cases where people who were no longer employees of ministries using letters purpoted to have been signed by the minister to defraud.
Said Mr Kimunya: “I am very saddened by these people who do not want the truth. The truth is clear there is a court order saying there is no development.
“There are MPs in this House who are friends of the crooks and are coming to the House to protect their ill gotten wealth. Instead of seeking the truth, all they are giving us are rude interruptions.”
He explained that KAA went to court in 2004 to seek an order restraining any settlement on its lands. Mr Kimunya asked MPs to lead from the front, in discouraging people from encroaching on government land “because they are poor.’’
The two spoke during a heated debate on the issue, raised by Gwasi MP John Mbadi to discuss the Syokimau as a matter of national importance.
The MPs were mainly concerned by what they described as a callous, inhuman and heartless manner in which the government demolished houses on the controversial land.
