County council asked Orengo to approve allocation
Siaya Senator James Orengo addresses journalists at the Sarova Panafric Hotel in Nairobi on August 4, 2014. He denied land grabbing allegations. With him are Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale (left) and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed. PHOTO | GERALD ANDERSON
What you need to know:
- Documents seen by the Nation indicate that Shanghai Investment Limited and Fincorp Investment (K) Limited were allocated 19,768 acres and 44,478 acres respectively following their application to be allocated the land by the Lamu County Council.
- Each company was granted their requests and given five years within which to carry out their projects.
About 200,000 out of the 500,000 acres of land controversially allocated in Lamu and now under investigations by the CID were allocated to five companies between 2011 and 2012.
The proposal to allocate the land to the companies was originated by the Lamu County Council and approved by the then minister for Lands, Mr James Orengo.
Documents seen by the Nation indicate that Shanghai Investment Limited and Fincorp Investment (K) Limited were allocated 19,768 acres and 44,478 acres respectively following their application to be allocated the land by the Lamu County Council.
The documents also reveal that the Lamu District Development Committee discussed and passed requests by Brick Investments Limited, Rusken International Limited and Mat International Limited to be allocated 39,536 acres each in November 2011.
Each company was granted their requests and given five years within which to carry out their projects.
The meeting chaired by the chairman of the Council, Councillor Abdul Kassim Ahmed, was also attended by the current Lamu West MP, Mr Julius Ndegwa, who was a councillor at the time.
The requests were forwarded to the ministry headquarters in Nairobi and granted the same.
For instance, the recommendation for Shanghai Investment and Fincorp investment was forwarded by the County Council on March 8 through a letter signed by Mr Ahmed. It was approved by Mr Orengo two weeks later on March 22.
The companies are among the 22 which the government has said acquired the land irregularly.
Reported by Patrick Nzioka and Peter Leftie
