• The EACC recovered 53 acres worth at least Sh5 billion that was grabbed from the Kenya Meteorological Department 24 years ago. 12,000 to 15,00- units are planned.
Image: HANDOUT
Land grabbing is a persistent problem, with q cartels at the forefront in forcefully acquiring public land.
However, the state has repossess some grabbed land and turned it into useful public lands.
Plans are underway to transform 55 repossessed acres along Enterprise Road in Industrial Area to an affordable housing project in Mukuru.
Principal Secretary for Housing and Urban Planning Charles Hinga disclosed the government has moved to the site and construction work has already started.
“These 53 acres were recovered for us by the EACC and is the site that belonged to the Meteorological Department and that was grabbed 24 years ago. We have recovered it and already,amazing work has started,” he told the Star.
In August last year, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission recovered the land worth more than Sh5 billion.
Justice Elijah Obaga of the Environment and Lands Court ordered the cancellation of title deeds issued to five companies for the land, and ordered the firms barred from trespassing.
Recovery proceedings commenced in 2009, meaning it has taken the EACC 11 years to recover the public land grabbed in 1997 through fraudulent practices at the Ministry of Lands.
Former President Daniel Moi's directive in 1999 for all government agencies to process title deeds for land they owned set in motion a grabbing spree, and the Met was one of the victims.
The judge also ruled that the Met's headquarters has always been on Ngong Road and that evidence in court proved the land was illegally transferred to the five companies.
Image: HANDOUT
PS Hinga said they plan to build to build 12,000 to 15,000 housing units on these sites, aiming for area residents to be new homeowners.
The first five blocks are under construction. The state is also working on sewers, drainage, roads and electricity.
The site will have a fire station, shopping centre and kindergarten.
The project will provide direct and indirect employment to more than 100,000 youth and support suppliers of numerous locally sourced inputs.
The project is part of President Uhuru Kenyatta's affordable housing programme under the Big Four agenda.
Mukuru slums with almost half a million people is divided into five areas: Kwa Njenga, Kwa Reuben, Fuata Nyayo, Pipeline and Viwandani.
In August 2017, Mukuru was declared as a Special Planning Area (SPA) by the Nairobi City County government.
That declaration put a stop to further developments in the area for two years until a Mukuru Integrated Development Plan is produced.
However, when the Nairobi Metropolitan Services was established last year, director general Mohammed Badi extended the SPA period for two years.
The move conformed with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s March 18, 2020, directive to Badi to upgrade slums in the capital.
The project started in Mukuru because development in such areas remained a huge challenge. Residents have difficulties accessing basic needs such as housing, water and healthcare.
One of the many objectives of the declaration was to develop ways that would promote the safety and health of residents.
(Edited by V. Graham)