Ombudsman writes to Arachi, Swazuri over Lang’ata Road Primary School land saga

Kenya: The Commission on Administrative Justice (Office of the Ombudsman) has lodged investigations into the Lang’ata Road Primary School land saga.

The commission has also written to the Acting Inspector General of Police Samuel Arachi and National Land Commission Chair Muhammad Swazuri.

Commission’s Director of Advocacy and Communications Phoebe Nadupoi says they will investigate
alleged use of force by police and misconduct during Monday’s demonstration that led to teargassing of school children.

The commission will also probe conduct of other public officers including the school principal, area MP, officers involved in the transfer of land among others and acquisition of the contested piece of land.

“The commission had determined to investigate the question of alleged irregular acquisition of land adjacent to Langata Primary School. While doing so, an incident occurred on 19th January 2015 involving some members of the public, pupils of Langata Primary School and the police, in which it is alleged the police may have used undue procedures, excessive force and/or inappropriate methods in handling the matter. The sum of the allegatioin is that the neire scenario demonstrated gross misconduct by the police and other relevant public officers”, part of the letter addressed to Arachi read.

On Monday, three pupils of Lang’ata Road Primary School were injured after police lobbied tear gas canisters to pupils and activists who were demonstrating against grabbing of the school field by a private developer.

The teas gassing of pupils received condemnations from Kenyans.

Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu has confirmed that the land belongs to the school. National Youth Service personnel Wednesday levelled and fenced the playground.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery on Wednesday told Ngilu and Swazuri to name the lang grabbers alleged to be behind the grabbing of the school’s land.