Ex-minister told to prove ownership of Kitale land
Former Forestry and Wildlife minister Noah Wekesa is among 30 people who risk losing their land in Kitale if they do not provide ownership documents to the National Land Commission (NLC) within 14 days. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The commission said the 30 people are occupying land belonging to the Trans Nzoia County government and the Agriculture ministry.
- The commission says the owners or occupiers of this land should submit ownership documents to the NLC within 14 days or prepare to vacate.
- On Wednesday, Dr Wekesa protested the notice, saying he had legally acquired the land and could prove ownership.
Former Cabinet minister Noah Wekesa is among 30 people who risk losing their land in Kitale if they do not provide ownership documents to the National Land Commission (NLC) within 14 days.
In a notice, the commission said the 30 people, among them three former MPs and five companies, were occupying land belonging to the Trans Nzoia County government and the Agriculture ministry.
“The National Land Commission has investigated and confirmed that the listed properties were illegally alienated from the county government of Trans Nzoia, and the Ministry of Agriculture,” NLC chairman Muhammad Swazuri said in a notice.
15 HECTARES
According to the list, Dr Wekesa owns 10 hectares, with former MPs Jimmy Choge (Aldai), Emmanuel Imana (Turkana Central) and Sheldon Muchilwa (Emuhaya) said to own 15, one, and five hectares, respectively.
“The owners or occupiers of this land should submit ownership documents to the NLC within 14 days or prepare to vacate the said lands within 90 days of this notice,” Dr Swazuri said in the notice dated July 18.
On Wednesday, Dr Wekesa protested the notice, saying he had legally acquired the land and could prove ownership.
'FUNNY DEALS'
“I have my documents. I acquired this land a long time ago through the legal channels and I can prove it. I don’t engage in funny deals,” he told the Nation.
The parcels in question, the commission said, partly fall within Block 6 and Block 7 in Kitale, “starting from the county commissioner’s office all the way to the Kitale National Polytechnic, including Lavington estate, and surrounding areas”.
REGISTERED LEASES
The four politicians’ parcels of land are among the 35 that have registered leases, with 15 others ongoing registration and 187 having either been issued with letters of allotment, or are classified as “illegal occupiers”.
Of the 35 that have registered leases, the Kitale Training Institute, at 84.4 hectares, has the biggest chunk of land, with Harambee Sacco and Kitale Municipal Workers Sacco having 30 hectares each.
Trans Nzoia Teachers Sacco owns one hectare of the land with registered leases, while Soi Primary School has 5.3 hectares.
Members of the clergy only listed as Bishop Yego and Rev Wanyonyi own one hectare each.
