Furore as councillors give themselves land

By Ali Abdi

Controversy is brewing in Isiolo following claims that councillors allocated themselves land in unclear circumstances.

A councillor, Ismail Galma, who spoke to the Press alongside officials of Waso Trustland Project, said his colleagues allocated themselves tracts of land as ‘retirement package’.

“After failing to get a send-off package from the Government similar to that of MPs, some councillors mooted the idea of acquiring prime land as a fall back strategy,” revealed the Wabera Ward councillor.

He urged his colleagues to give up the land. “We are in a new constitutional dispensation and they cannot get away with some things. It is illegal,’’ said Galma.

Waso Trustland Project coordinator Hassan Shano said the law will catch up with the councillors should they opt to go ahead with their scheme.

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“Kenya has changed and they must also change. We will ensure that public land allocated illegally is repossessed and the culprits charged,” warned Shano.

Efforts to get comments from council clerk Maurice Ogolla were unsuccessful. Sources said he was holed up in a meeting with some of the councillors who benefited from the allocation discussing the matter.

At the same time, a councillor admitted to benefiting from controversial land allocations in the vicinity of the proposed Isiolo resort city.

Admitted

Selasio Kiambi of Kiwanjani Ward and chairman of the Works, Town Planning and Market Committee at Isiolo County Council said he was away during the meeting in which he was allocated three acres.

He said should his application be found illegal, he was ready to surrender the plot.

Details of the allocation were contained in minutes of the county council’s Works, Town Planning and Market Committee of May 17.

The councillors are now waiting for processing of Part Development Plan from the council to obtain title deeds from the Ministry of Lands.

The affected land includes areas around the proposed Isiolo resort city and the Isiolo abattoir.

Others include Kom, Gotu, Gubatu and Kulamawe, which are grazing fields and water points, and land on the banks of Isiolo, Ewaso Ng’iro and Bisanadi rivers.