Cord leaders postpone meeting with Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission over Karen land

Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale (left) showing the media a land map at a press conference about the Karen land saga on October 19, 2014. He is with Senator James Orengo. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • A new time with EACC will be communicated.
  • The EACC had written to the three senators summoning them to appear before its detectives to shed light on the matter.

Cord leaders have for the second time postponed a meeting with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission where they were expected to give more evidence in the Karen land saga.

A statement by the spokesman for Cord leader Raila Odinga, Mr Dennis Onyango, on Wednesday stated that the politicians were meeting members of the public to collect more “damning” information on the 134-acre prime land.

“The leaders will therefore not appear at Integrity Centre this morning. A new time with EACC will be communicated,” read the statement.

"Those volunteering information include Members of Parliament who declined offers of plots on the same land," it further stated.

A Woman and a child walking through the controversial Karen land on October 27,2014. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Last week, senators James Orengo, Boni Khalwale and Johnson Muthama postponed the meeting with the EACC, saying they could not avail the evidence because one of them was out of the country.

They said Mr Khalwale was out of the country on official duty.

The EACC had written to the three senators, summoning them to appear before its detectives to shed light on the matter.

The EACC letter was signed by Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud.

Mr Odinga has been quoted alleging that senior government officials were involved in the controversial transfer of the Karen land.

He claimed that some leaders had used public land to acquire wealth, arguing that nothing has changed in the country since the Jubilee government came to power.