Officials of Mombasa Cement in Kilifi were on Saturday at pains to explain how they acquired 499 hectares (1,233 acres) in the county.
The officials could not tell the National Assembly Lands Committee how much land they own in Kilifi.
They were being grilled by the committee at Serena Beach Hotel in Mombasa over the acquisition of the land on which they operate their business.
The company plant electrical manager Kinuthia Bere, civil works manager Hemant Desaj, logistics head Ramesh Javed were accompanied by their lawyer Cyprian Onyony.
They were given a four-minute break to consult over discrepancies in documents they presented to the committee.
Kieni MP Kanini Kega accused the company of disrespecting the committee by sending mid-level managers who are not privy to information on how much land it owns in Kilifi or how it was acquired.
Onyony, however, defended the managers, saying the information required dates many years before the company acquired the land from Vipingo Estate in 2004.
“Prior to that, we never had access to records as we were not involved in any way,” he said.
The lawyer said they were only prepared to answer questions pertaining to plot number 4391, which they were specifically asked about.
Committee chair Alex Mwiru (Tharaka MP) said the session was investigative and the questions would not deal with one piece of land.
Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro, in whose constituency the factory is located, said the company must produce vital documents in the investigation.
Nyali MP Hezron Awiti said the company must explain whether there were any squatters on the land at the time of purchase.
Mwitu adjourned the session until April 9.
He directed managing director Hasmukh Patel to appear before the committee in Nairobi.
