Firm on the spot over land deals
Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu addresses Lamu residents after launching fresh survey of land in the county. A company named in the allocation of thousands of acres in the County was by Thursday unable to explain how it obtained two allotment letters with varying lease agreements for the same land. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- They could not produce receipts for the payments made by the company and promised to produce all the documents after meeting their client.
- Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri, who is leading a team of commissioners in the review of grants and titles at the KICC in Nairobi, also demanded answers on why the owner claimed not to have been issued with a title deed for the ranch yet there was an LR Number 29275.
A company named in the allocation of thousands of acres in Lamu County was by Thursday unable to explain how it obtained two allotment letters with varying lease agreements for the same land.
In the first allotment obtained in 1996, Khalrara Ranch was given a lease of 45 years but the National Land Commission obtained another lease for 99 years given to the ranch in 2012, without documentation to explain the difference.
Lawyers for Khalrara Ranch could not provide the information at the ongoing review of grants and titles and asked to be given more time to provide documentation.
Lawyers Jillian Ndirangu and Duncan Akhulia were also unable to explain why their client paid Sh98,500 in 1996 and Sh3.9 million for the same land in 2012.
They could not produce receipts for the payments made by the company and promised to produce all the documents after meeting their client.
Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri, who is leading a team of commissioners in the review of grants and titles at the KICC in Nairobi, also demanded answers on why the owner claimed not to have been issued with a title deed for the ranch yet there was an LR Number 29275.
The lawyers had earlier said that Mr Abubakar Mohamed Swaleh, listed as the owner of Khalrara Ranch applied for 5,000 hectares in 1984 from the Commissioner of Land, which was later referred to the area district agricultural and the development committees and approved then he was given the allotment letter.
“Our client followed the right procedure to acquire the land and has even developed it with property including a well and is keeping livestock. But he has no title even after receiving a letter of allotment several years ago,” said Ms Ndirangu.
LISTED AS INTERESTED PARTY
But Hindi Residents Welfare Association, listed as interested party in the matter, sought to know the reason why the name appearing on the allotment letter is Khalrara while the applicant is Abubakar Mohamed Swaleh.
The commission is set to tour Lamu from Saturday to assess the situation on the ground as well as visit other areas in the county where the government plans to establish settlement schemes.
