Group's split halts talks with NLC, police on land issue

West Park Patrol base housing project in Lang'ata, Nairobi. The 27-hectare piece near Wilson Airport had been the subject of a court dispute between Wilson Mitumba Women Group and the National Police Service for more than 10 years. PHOTO | ANN KAMONI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Group members say President Daniel arap Moi gave them the land in 1990 after they were kicked out of another piece on Mombasa Road and were camping by the roadside.
  • According to the court, the police service abused its power by constructing the houses in a land it had no claim over.

A dispute between two groups claiming ownership of a multi-million shilling land in Lang’ata, Nairobi is delaying resolution of a long running battle with the government.

The 27-hectare piece near Wilson Airport had been the subject of a court dispute between Wilson Mitumba Women Group and the National Police Service for more than 10 years until the National Land Commission agreed to mediate.

However, two groups claiming to be officials of the women group are holding back reconciliation being spearheaded by NLC boss Muhammad Swazuri.

Records at the Ministry of Labour and Social Services show that Mr Joseph Mburu Gitau is the group’s chairman, Mr Isaac Mburu Njuguna the secretary and Ms Fraciah Njoki Muiruri is the treasurer.

However, a splinter group is headed by Ms Cecilia Wanjiru Gichuru.

Group members say President Daniel arap Moi gave them the land in 1990 after they were kicked out of another piece on Mombasa Road and were camping by the roadside.

A few years later, police headquarters took the land and began implementing the West Park Patrol base Housing project, which now has more than 450 residential units.

The group challenged occupation of the land and in 2008, the High Court ruled that police had no claim to the land.

According to the court, the police service abused its power by constructing the houses in a land it had no claim over.

Instead of leaving, the police continued building more houses and denied group members access to the land.

RESOLUTION
When they realised they could not win the war against the police, they opted for alternative dispute resolution and petitioned the NLC to intervene.

In November 2015, Dr Swazuri said the group had a genuine claim to the land but that police had also invested more than Sh3 billion in the housing project.

“After a lot of consultations, dialogue and evidence produced before the commission, we arrived at a decision to secure the police housing and interest of Mitumba Women Group. The commission is ready and will proceed to settle the matter,” Dr Swazuri said.

Problems in the group began when Dr Swazuri invited its members and police representatives to discuss modalities of settling the dispute.

Police would be allowed to retain the houses while the group would be compensated.

According to Mr Njuguna, members do not recognise the splinter group since its leader was voted out as treasurer and replaced by Ms Muiruri.

“We want a resolution to benefit everybody. Why would a person want to scuttle everything when she’s not an official? And that is coming when we are just about to reach an agreement,” Mr Njuguna said.

Dr Swazuri ordered the group to reconcile before talks resume.