The Star has obtained letters from the university to the ministry and to the head of public service Joseph Kinyua confirming they have surrendered the land.
However, they said they cannot yet locate the original title deed and are still looking for it.
New council chairperson Prof Crispus Kiamba wrote to Kinyua on July 15 saying the council met on the same day and directed the acting vice-chancellor to surrender the main title deed.
“Following the council approval, the acting vice-chancellor has been instructed to forward the title referred to in your above-quoted letter to the relevant offices of the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning for necessary action,” Prof Kiamba said.
The title deed in question is LR No 11026/2 Grant 33404, which Kinyua said in a letter to the council on July 7, should be surrendered for subdivision.
Kinyua said 30 acres will be hived off for the WHO emergency hub while another 10 acres will be donated to the Africa Centres for Disease Control to build their Eastern Africa headquarters.
He said 180 acres will go to the neighbouring Kenyatta University Teaching Research and Referral Hospital.
Another 190 acres, from a separate title deed, will be given to the 10,000 Kamae squatters who already occupy the land illegally, in Kahawa West.
Acting Vice-chancellor Prof Waceke Wanjohi confirmed they are surrendering the land, saying this was simply in compliance with a Cabinet decision, made on May 15.
The Star has obtained a letter from the office of Lands PS Nicholas Muraguri in which she says she cannot locate the original title deed but advises the ministry to go ahead and subdivide it.
“The [university] council resolved that this office is to forward the title. In this regard, we wish to confirm that we are yet to obtain the original copy of the title," she told Dr Muraguri.
"But request the Ministry of Lands to begin the replanning process utilising the information and documentation in our land file as guided by the Cabinet."
Both letters are copied to Education PS Simon Nabukwesi, Physical Planning PS Enock Momanyi and Attorney General Kihara Kariuki.
All the letters from the university council and the VC’s office are dated Friday, July 15.
This is the date Environment and Land Court Judge Oscar Angote issued orders barring any sub-division or interference with ownership of the Kenyatta University land, pending the hearing and determination of a petition filed by the Law Society of Kenya against NLC, Lands CS and six others.
"Pending the hearing and determination of this application inter parties, this honourable court is pleased to issue orders restraining all the respondents their agents, successors and assigns and or issuing an order staying the implementation," reads the court order in part.
"Of the directives contained in the letters dated July 4, 2022 and July 7, 2022 and or subdividing, annexing, alienating, and or any interference with the ownership and possession of the parcel of land known as Land Reference No. 11026/2."
The Star also learned the new university management is planning mass layoffs and transfers of key department heads in the vice-chancellor’s office.
These are directors who worked under Prof Paul Wainaina, the vice chancellor who was suspended last week.
The letters to the affected individuals, including those working in the academic affairs department, are expected on Monday next week.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
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