by Morton Saulo and David Ochami

Controversy over the purchase of a Sh283m cemetery land by the Nairobi City Council deepened after the director of planning, Mr Peter Kibinda, said the technical committee had rejected the property.

Kibinda told the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Authorities on Tuesday that the land did not meet the standards for a cemetery.

He also claimed that the chief valuer was not involved in the transaction.

"We, the technical committee, identified the defects in the tender documents and the unsuitability of the land, but the Local Government Ministry went ahead and released the funds to City Hall. The whole process was flawed and technical advice was never followed," he said.

Committee chairman Shakeel Shabir said the ministry released Sh283 million but only Sh110 million was paid to the landowner and the rest could not be accounted for.

Nairobi Mayor Godfrey Majiwa, who was to be grilled, did not show up.

"We had summoned the mayor but he has completely ignored our summons," Shakeel said.

The deal has been steeped in controversy over who between Mr Maina Chege and Henry Musyoki sold the land to City Hall and whether the piece of land, initially classified as agricultural land was overvalued to defraud the council.

"That is not my signature. I did not sign these documents," said Musyoki, referring to papers showing he sold land to City Hall. (See separate story)

Apart from the sale, ownership of the land has been in contention. Documents before the committee indicate Chege sold the land to City Hall, but others indicate Musyoki sold the same land to the council.

Chege is said to have bought the land from Musyoki for Sh110m on December 19 last year. He allegedly sold it to City Hall on January 23. He has sued his lawyers for swindling him over the deal.