Ombudsman begins probe over 'grabbed' Eastleigh land
Dr Otiende Amollo, the chairman of the Commission on Administrative Justice (or the Office of the Ombudsman), speaks at the Supreme Court on November 19, 2015. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The Ombudsman has begun investigations into the alleged irregular allocation of market land in Eastleigh, Nairobi.
The commission will seek to establish how the parcel was taken away from traders and allocated to private developers.
The Commission on Administrative Justice received a complaint from a group of traders, who alleged that the market had been appropriated by private developers.
The traders allege that the Nairobi City Council sold part of the land to two individuals in January 2007 under a public-private partnership. The plot had been earmarked for the construction of a skyscraper.
DEMOLISH STALLS
The council said it had entered into the partnership for the benefit of “the larger public” through a build-operate-and-transfer arrangement.
The traders allege they have been operating their businesses on the land since 1965 and that in January 2009, the private developers, accompanied by the Administration Police, demolished their stalls.
The traders, who have allocation letters and receipts of rates paid to the Nairobi City Council, said no alternative space was allocated to them after their eviction.
The Ombudsman's investigation will look into dereliction of duty, abuse of power, unfair treatment and any injustice committed by officials of the city council in the matter.
