Karen land is public property, says Cord
Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale (left) and Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama of Cord addressing journalists at Capitol Hill Square in Nairobi on October 16, 2014. Cord says it will present “documented evidence” to the anti-corruption agency to prove the controversial land in Karen is public property. FILE PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Dr Khalwale showed journalists copies of the maps of the land he argued had been sub-divided on authority of ministry of Lands officials
- On Saturday, President Uhuru Kenyatta cautioned the public against making comments on the issue until the matter is concluded in a court of law. The land is valued at Sh8 billion
The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) says it will present “documented evidence” to the anti-corruption agency to prove the controversial land in Karen is public property.
Several Cord legislators on Sunday tabled copies of maps, letters and other documents they claimed showed government officials had illegally authorised subdivision of the land.
“We have taken a firm resolution as a coalition on this scam and we will not rest until the truth is uncovered and perpetrators brought to book,” Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale told reporters at the Cord secretariat offices in Nairobi on Sunday.
“We shall appear before the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to record our statements,” he said.
Dr Khalwale showed journalists copies of the maps of the land he argued had been sub-divided on authority of ministry of Lands officials.
“Because the President thinks we were peddling rumours, we are going to appear before the EACC and surrender these documents.”
RECEIVED BRIBES
Dr Khalwale was flanked by Siaya Senator James Orengo and his Machakos counterpart Johnson Muthama.
Also present were Busia Women Rep Florence Mutua and MPs Junet Mohammed (Suina East), Joshua Olum (Lang’ata) and Kitutu Masaba’s Timothy Bosire. They said they would appear before the EACC on Wednesday.
Cord has written to the Director of Public Prosecutions and EACC demanding investigations into how transactions relating to the land were done. The government, too, through Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu, wrote to EACC last week.
But the opposition charges that officials in Ms Ngilu’s ministry approved the deals after receiving bribes.
The 134-acre piece of land is at the centre of a legal battle over ownership between Mr Horatius Da Gama Rose and his company Muchanga Investments Ltd against Habenga Holdings, Jina Enterprises Ltd and Telesource Company Ltd.
The director of surveys, the registrar of titles and the chief lands registrar are also respondents.
On Saturday, President Uhuru Kenyatta cautioned the public against making comments on the issue until the matter is concluded in a court of law. The land is valued at Sh8 billion.
