Ministry, agency war turns to office space

Turf wars between the National Land Commission (NLC) and the Ministry of Lands have degenerated into fights over office space at Ardhi House, with the ministry directing the commission to vacate.

Recently, the commission accused Lands Acting Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i of whittling down its powers by abrogating himself roles previously enjoyed by the commission through three land Bills generated by the ministry.

MPs in the parliamentary Lands Committee put to task the CS, who appeared before them yesterday, accusing him of making unilateral decisions without involving NLC chairman Muhammad Swazuri.

“We have met with Dr Swazuri on two occasions and at no time did he inform me that he was having problems moving to new offices,” Dr Matiang’i said, adding that he delegated the responsibility of handling the issue to the ministry’s director of administration.

The CS said that despite the commission acquiring a new office block near Ardhi House, its staff had declined to relocate, despite promising to do so “two months after I came into office, which was six months ago.”

He said while on a tour of the ministry offices on fourth floor, he found the offices congested and on enquiring he was told that the NLC staff had refused to relocate to their refurbished offices and wanted to remain at the ministry headquarters so as to access land records.

Asked whether he had consulted the NLC boss on the relocation process, the CS said a transitional committee had been set up to ensure smooth transfer of some of the functions donated to the NLC by the ministry, according to the Constitution.

Committee chairman Alex Muiru also challenged Dr Matiang’i to state whether it was true the ministry had denied the commission access to land documents they required to execute their mandate.

The CS however denied the ministry trying to inhibit the work of the commission.