Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko on Wednesday issued a stern warning to some prominent businessmen plotting to evict squatters in the Mukuru Kwa Njenga slums.
Sonko said the businessmen should instead seek compensation from the national government as ordered by the court.
Sonko linking the director of Orbit Chemicals Ltd Ashok Chandaria among others plotting to take the land said his administration will not allow such acts of impunity to the people.
Speaking while distributing food to Muslim faithful from informal settlements across Nairobi at Nyayo National Stadium, Sonko said the Kenyan constitution allows squatters to claim ownership of any piece of land if they have lived on it for more than 12 years.
He said his government will ensure that the squatters are given title deeds for the piece of land that has been at the centre of controversy between Chandaria and the locals.
"I want to warn Chandaria that l will not seat down and watch him frustrate the poor in the slums. If he wants to be compensated for the piece of land he should use the right channel," Sonko said.
The County chief said he has reached out to President Uhuru Kenyatta over the issue and the President has subsequently instructed the Ministry of Lands to ensure the residents are given title deeds to the land.
Sonko warned land grabbers who are targeting Churches and Mosques, noting that the Nairobi City County Government will work closely with the national government to ensure that all grounds occupied by religious organizations are issued with title deeds.
He also added that at least 200 pieces of land have so far been repossessed since he took over City Hall.
He said the parcel of land had been illegally allocated to individuals.
According to him, the process of repossessing other grabbed properties is ongoing.
“We are in the process of putting more projects on over 200 pieces of land which we have successfully repossessed from land grabbers," the Governor said.
Sonko challenged the Nairobi City County Assembly to come up with stringent laws to protect city residents from greedy and merciless land grabbers who are out to kick them out from their land.
In 2012 Chandaria and politician Cyrus Jirongo made headlines among influential politicians and businessmen who were said to be owners of the controversial piece of land.
The slum dwellers then went to court to lay claim to the land on which they have lived for years citing public interest.
They will argued the legal owners had failed to use the land for the purposes it was allocated.
Some of the well-known local companies that were sued by the activists included Orbit Chemical Industries, Nash Motors, Affiliated Business Contacts Ltd and Embakasi Developers.
