The National Land Commission today will tart unraveling the circumstances under which thousands of acres belonging to the Kenya Airports Authority were grabbed by private developers.
The airports agency is battling developers to recover 11,551 acres it says were seized within Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Yesterday, NLC vice chairperson Abigael Mbagaya confirmed to the Star on the phone that proceedings to establish how public land fell into private hands would resume today.
“Yes, we will be proceeding [with the hearing],” she said.
Lawyers representing the developers received documentation on December 10.
The commission had asked those claiming ownership to pick up their documents in preparation for the full public ohearing set for today.
A total 118 parcels are under probe.
Some of the grabbed parcels are on flight paths, compromising aircraft security.
Early this month, KAA’s planning and research manager Rashid Abdullahi said grabbers had invaded their land and must be kicked out.
“Since allocation of that land, there have been several allocations that were made after the authority had been issued with the title deed,” Abdullahi said.
KAA acting engineering services general manager Fred Odao attended the hearing s presided over by acting chairperson Abigael Mbagaya.Commissioners Ema Njogu, Rose Musyoka and Samuel Tororei were present.
Abdullahi said the allocations were made “on top of existing title” and they are illegal.
KAA provides critical services such as check-in guidelines, passport control, immigration, visas and security regulations. It has a presence at JKIA, Kisumu, Eldoret and Moi international airports and Wilson Airport.
During the preliminary hearing, lawyers protested they were hearing of the complaints for the first time.
KAA officials however tabled documents with NLC authenticated by the Director of Surveys showing the land had been set aside for airport expansion.
To strengthen their case, the KAA officials told the commission they had original documents that have never been altered.
“We have the original title. We got our title on August 1, 1996, and here are guys who came and obtained the titles on top of our own titles,” Odao told the commission.
Commissioner Musyoka urged interested parties to bring all documents to the hearing.
Mbagaya said some of those claiming ownership got their title deeds before the Aiport authority.
“The land they got the title for had been compulsorily acquired by the government for purposes of being utilised as Jomo Kenyatta International Airport,” she said.
“If land has been reserved for public use, how can it go to private hands?”she asked.