Murang’a MCAs want the county government to sell 34 acres shrouded in controversy since it was procured in 2014 to establish an industrial park.
The Sh340 million land in Kabati, Maragua subcounty, has caused Governor Mwangi wa Iria several run-ins with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission over the procurement process.
MCAs have, however, passed a motion to have the land disposed of and the proceeds used to implement development projects.
Land, Housing and Physical Planning committee chairperson Gerald Wambugu, who tabled the motion, said the county government had purchased the land in a bid to establish a value-addition framework for its vast agricultural materials.
“The major challenge faced by the agricultural value addition chain in 2013 was land to establish an industrial park to boost industrialisation,” Wambugu said.
The land, however, was idle following erratic release of funds by the Treasury, causing it to be subjected to numerous political and audit contests that have undermined the initial objective of its procurement, he said.
Wambugu said the agro-marketing sector has since changed, with the entry of private value. The entities have been serving residents, he said.
The county government has also engaged Del Monte Kenya and Kakuzi Ltd to resolve the horticulture value addition problems that undermine farmers’ returns.
He said the county has been experiencing budget implementation challenges due to delayed exchequer releases.
“Changes in the design of the Metropolitan Train network by the national government have also undermined the advantages that were relied upon during the acquisition of the land,” he said.
The MCA, however, said the county government intends to acquire a substantial portion of land from leases expiring in 2022 to help in the establishment of private public partnerships in commercial and industrial projects,” he said.
The committee had concluded that the land acquisition was not illegal and was below the then market price.
The committee now wants the Lands executive to engage valuers to establish the current value of the land before it is sold to the highest bidder through an open tender system.
“The committee recommends that the Lands CEC initiates the process of selling the land and place a call for expression of interest within 14 days of adoption of this report,” he said.
The proceeds will then be used to fund the priority areas in the county budget, such as the water sector, through a supplementary budget.
Kiru MCA Morris Thuku who supported the motion, said the house should put more consideration to the supplementary budget to ensure the proceeds are put to prudent use.
Ruchu MCA Daniel Chege, who chairs the health committee, said his team has a deficit of Sh80 million that has hindered the advancement of health services.
Chege challenged the Trade committee to come up with ways of encouraging more investors into the county, including giving incentives.
Kimorori MCA Amos Murigi opposed the motion, saying there was no public participation over the matter and that the land in his area, could have been used to establish learning facilities.
In 2016, former Senator Kembi Gitura presented a land valuation document to the Senate’s Public Accounts and Investments committee that indicated the land had been valued at Sh194 million by a private valuer paid by the county assembly.
Kembi said he had received the document from the county assembly but MCAs claimed he had forged it to malign Wa Iria.
He said they had not engaged a private valuer and that their issue was the procurement process used to buy the land.
