- The lawmakers said Tobiko’s remarks are in bad taste as the home owners followed due process and were issued with land title documents by the government.
- Minority leader John Mbadi told the CS to stop threatening innocent Kenyans for the sins of the past regime.
Image: FILE
Legislators have threatened to censure Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko for his recent "roadside" declaration to demolish close to 800 homes in the grabbed Ngong Road Forest.
They said Tobiko’s remarks are in bad taste, maintaining that the home owners followed due process and were issued with land title documents by the government.
Minority leader John Mbadi told the CS to respect the sanctity of the title deeds and avoid chest-thumping and threatening innocent Kenyans for the sins of the past regime.
“We want to tell this Cabinet secretary that processes must be followed. If you allege the environment has been violated, you go to court to get an order to evict but you cannot threaten Kenyans,” Mbadi said on Tuesday.
“If there is a Cabinet secretary who should be censured then it is this one (Tobiko) and not the one who was brought here last week,” he said.
Wajir East MP Rashid Amin said the House should move with speed to ensure the rights of individuals to own property in the country is respected.
The lawmakers said the planned demolitions should be halted until the House concludes probing the matter.
“The Cabinet Secretary should halt the intended eviction until Parliament decides on this issue. There are over 1,000 people living on that land and they have title deeds,” said Minority whip Junet Mohammed.
“Let the CS hold his horses. The House should be allowed to make its determination before any action is taken,” according to Igembe Central MP Kubai Iringo.
Seme's James Nyikal, who confessed to own property in the contested forest area, said the government should tread carefully and avoid creating the perception that it is criminal to own property in the country.
The MPs were contributing to a petition by 74 residents affected by the Tobiko announcement that the government will repossess all land illegally acquired by private developers in Ngong Road Forest.
More than 800 homes on the Ngong Road Forest land are targeted for demolition, according to the CS.
The petitioners are from Royal Park View, Sun Valley I, II and III, Shallom Estate, Kenya Medical Association, and Forest View Estate.
They argue that they acquired the properties legally and that all developments in the now marked area underwent necessary approvals from the Physical Planning department of the Nairobi county government.
“We have had quiet possession of our respective properties for over 20 years and a range of transactions over these properties has taken place.
"Some have charged their properties to financial institutions; some have sold and others have been subdivided as allowed by the law,” the petition reads in part.
“We pray that the National Assembly intervenes by instructing the Cabinet Secretary of Environment and Forestry to follow the due process of law and get proper information and proper maps from the ministry responsible for matters related to lands.”
Speaker Justin Muturi referred the petition to the Environment committee to investigate and report back to the House.
- mwaniki fm