Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service has sought Parliament’s help to recover 91.21 hectares held by powerful private developers in Kitale.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Public Investment Committee, Kephis boss Esther Kimani presented 48 names of individuals and enterprises behind the grabbing of the Inspectorate’s land. The committee is chaired by Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir,
The names include former Public Service Commission vice chairperson Joan Alice Nevice and PSC commissioner Mary Jemutai Tonje, who served during President Daniel Moi’s administration.
The grabbers are in possession of allotment letters while some have transferred their plots to third parties using the letters.
The land is mainly Kitale Municipality Blocks 12 and 13.
Kimani said their effort to repossess the land through the Lands ministry and the National Land Commission has been in vain.
“The recovery of approximately 91.21 hectares (225.4 acres) held by third parties has not been done. This is in spite of several appeals to NLC and the Ministry of Lands,” Kimani said.
“We appeal to this committee to instruct relevant authorities to recover the land and issue ownership title to Kephis.”
Kimani was speaking when she appeared before PIC to respond to issues raised by Auditor General Edward Ouko in his 2016-17 audit report.
Ouko had questioned lack of ownership documents of 11 parcels valued at Sh264,666,000 in Nakuru county, Muguga in Kiambu county, Kitale in Trans Nzoia county, Kabete, Embu, Karen in Nairobi and Kisumu county.
Only land in Kisumu, Embu, Kabete and Karen had proper ownership documents.
“Although the management has made several attempts to repossess the parcel of land in Kitale that is in possession of third parties and engaging a lawyer at a fee of Sh1,000,000 to facilitate the production of title deed, and initiated a process of transferring ownership of the Nakuru and Muguga parcels of land from KALRO (formerly Kari) to Kephis, it is not clear if and when the title deeds will be obtained,” Ouko said in his report.
Ouko also questioned Sh15,532,593 paid to former Managing Director while on compulsory leave.
(Edited by V.Graham)
