By CCI team
Government officials and politicians allocated land to their friends and relatives in a scheme meant for squatters in Nyeri, CCI can reveal.
Investigations show that local politicians and members of the provincial administration gave out the names of their aides, relatives and friends for allocation of land in Solio Ranch Settlement Scheme earlier this year.
The list of allotees had remained a guarded secret until Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa demanded it be made public after Central PC Kiplimo Rugut declined to release it.
Lands Assistant minister Bifwoli Wakoli tabled the list in Parliament two months ago. Rugut had insisted the list would not be released until the beneficiaries were issued with title deeds.
First Lady Lucy Kibaki was instrumental in securing the land for squatters who had lived a squalid life on roadside in Nyeri after being evicted from Mt Kenya and Aberdare forests almost two decades ago.
On close scrutiny of the list released by the Ministry of Lands, CCI established that the process of allocation of the land may not have been above board.
Part of the land bought by the Government at a cost of Sh1.2 billion was allocated to non-squatters.
The illegal beneficiaries got four acres for farming and an acre each to build homes.
Newly resettled squatters at Solio Ranch Scheme till their land in preparation for the planting season. Some undeserving people were allocated the land meant for the forest evictees. {PHOTOS/ FRANCIS NGIGE/STANDARD} READ MOREBusinessman denies supplying Sh209 million fake fertiliser Six CSs in Ruto administration on the spot for non-performance Kenya commends Somalia's efforts in security and health capacity building |
Mr Peter Mureithi Weru, a nephew to a local MP, who is listed as a recipient of land at the scheme at first conceded to having benefited from the land but later beat a hasty retreat.
Weru was not among the squatters targeted for resettlement.
He hurled insults at a CCI journalist before he threatened him with dire consequences should he publish this information.
"Let me tell you my friend, you are playing with a very sensitive issue. Try to publish my name in the newspapers and you will see what will happen to you," said Weru on phone.
"You might not live to see tomorrow if you continue following this Solio story. Would you decline an offer of land if it comes your way? Certainly not," Weru said before hanging up.
The official list shows he was allocated the land in Village Seven. The threats have already been reported at Nyeri Police Station vide OB/26/10/09. However, no action has been taken against him.
Suspect allocation
An aide to a local MP, Mr Philip Kimunyu Githua, who is also a constituency’s CDF manager is among the beneficiaries.
He confirmed that the name and national identification number given in the list was his. He was allocated land at Village Two in the scheme. However, he maintained he was not aware he had been allocated land in the scheme.
"I am not aware of any land allocated to me at the Solio Ranch Scheme. If it is there then it was done without my knowledge," he said on the telephone.
"I know the land was meant for deserving people who were evicted from forests but publishing my name as one of those given land would tarnish my reputation," added the man.
Kieni MP Nemesyus Warugongo conceded that he was asked to give a list of people from his constituency to benefit from the allocation.
Although the MP insists there was no wrongdoing, those questioning the allocations believe the move to invite MPs to bring names of people who were not roadside squatters was a veil to hide other illegal allocations.
Warugongo said he was approached by a member of the provincial administration involved in the process and asked to forward names of 60 people so that they could be given land.
"I was ambushed and since it was late in the evening and the names were required urgently, I managed to give only 40 names," Warugongo told CCI.
The wrong turn
However, he insisted he gave out names of needy families living in Bellevue Primary School in his constituency.
One of the squatters who benefited from the land relaxing in her farm at Solio Ranch Settlement Scheme. {PHOTO/FRANCIS NGIGE/STANDARD} |
"I don’t know where the decision to include other people other than those who were on road reserves came from. Perhaps those in charge of the exercise should explain," said Warugongo.
He denied that one of his aides and a driver may have benefited, saying the names could be similar.
A human rights activist in Nyeri town said he was asked to hand in Sh30,000 to be given the land.
"I was approached and told I could get the land if I gave Sh30,000. But I declined because I am not a roadside squatter and do not qualify," he said.
According to documents in our possession, nine people who were moved from Karatina District Hospital in Mathira to pave way for the expansion of the hospital and compensated in 1996, also got land in Solio amounting to double compensation.
The documents from the Ministry of Lands indicate that the nine were duly compensated under the Compulsory Land Acquisition Act. They were allocated land at Magutu settlement scheme.
Double allocation
The Ministry of Lands instructed the nine to surrender their titles to the Government before being handed the deeds for their new land in Magutu.
The letter dated January 24, 1996 and addressed to the Karatina District Officer states in part: "You are advised to collect the title deeds from the beneficiaries of the hospital land and forward them to the Ministry of Lands."
It adds: "Please note that titles for the Magutu scheme will not be released until you confirm that the land required for the expansion of the hospital has been left vacant for possession by the hospital."
The residents moved out of the hospital land and were handed titles for land in Magutu.
Records from the lands office show Erastus Gatura Gakungu was allocated parcel number one at the Magutu scheme.
But in the Solio Ranch Scheme register, the same name is listed as a beneficiary of land number 352 in Village Two.
Other beneficiaries include Joel Gakungu, parcel number 347 in Solio ranch and also registered as owner for Magutu land number three.
Francis Maathai Gakungu of plot number 373 in Village three in Solio Ranch Scheme is also registered as owning land number 15 in Magutu.
Relatives of a senior chief in Mathira who are not squatters may also have gotten land in the scheme.
The chief conceded that only his sister benefited from the land because she was an estranged wife of a forest evictee.
"Although she was divorced by her husband, we thought she deserved land since she had lived in Muoroto slums as a squatter," said the chief.
He claimed that malicious people had published the names of his relatives with the aim of injuring his reputation and ridiculing him by virtue of his position.
Others who were given land include Mr Uled Majid, a former two-term councillor and Supkem official in Nyeri Town.
When contacted, Majid, who was allocated farm number 2244 in Village One referred us to the PC saying he is the only one who could shed light on the criteria used to give out the land.
"I don’t know why I was picked and the others left but I can confirm that I have been allocated land in the Solio scheme," said Majid.
