The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has promised to recover all public utilities, including government houses and land, irregularly acquired in Northeastern.
Speaking to the press in Garissa town on Saturday, EACC regional deputy director Japhet Baithaly said the commission has written to the Lands registrar to suspend all public land title deeds.
Baithaly said state utilities, including land and government houses, have been illegally acquired and the commission is in pursuit to recover them.
“We are putting much emphasis on government houses that have been irregularly set aside so that they cannot be transferred to third parties,” he said.
Baithaly, however, said the commission has in the past experienced problems, especially when people sue.
He said the cases make it difficult for the EACC to prosecute a suspect without any evidence.
“I appeal to the residents
to come work with us in the fight against corruption,” Baithaly said.
He said the commission is helping the counties in terms of system reviews.
There are “teething problems” in the procurement processes, which need to be addressed, Baithaly said.
The director said the commission is pursuing 15 cases in Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and parts of Tana River counties that are pending in court.
He said the commission is assisting the counties to identify loopholes, adding that poor documentation is to blame.
The EACC will target brokers in renewed efforts to rid the land sector of corruption. Commissioner Paul Mwaniki said it is time to eliminate land cartels.
“If Kajiado has a problem in the land registry, we must focus there. We know cartels claiming to be untouchable are deeply rooted in the land sector,” Mwaniki said.
