CS Charity Ngilu behind land cartel stealing public land, EACC report

NAIROBI: Lands, Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu has been accused of being linked to a powerful cartel that is responsible for rampant corruption at the Ministry of Lands.

Ms Ngilu is being investigated for alleged inflation of valuation of a farm the Government wants to purchase for squatters in Likoni by Sh110 million. Out of this amount, she was allegedly to be paid Sh65 million as kickback.

According to the dossier, Ngilu together with senior ministry officials, politicians and brokers are responsible for the irregular acquisition and fraudulent disposal of public land through a network of cartel linked to the CS.

The cartel allegedly includes Patrick Kibagendi Osero, who sits in the Board of the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC).

The other alleged members of the cartel that is said to have fraudulently obtained land in Karen, Ruai, Beach Plots, Kenya Meat Commission land in the Coast and the 930 acres belonging to Evanson Waitiki in Likoni include lawyer James Mbaluka, Sarah Mwenda and Chief Lands Officer, Businessman Deepak Kamani, one of the men behind the Anglo Leasing scandals.

Ngilu is said to have ordered her junior officers to inflate the cost of Waitiki Farm so that she can get the hefty kickback.

The report states: "Information alleging that Mrs Charity Ngilu the Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Housing and Urban Development in collusion with Mr Evason Waitiki owner of Plot No. Mombasa/MN/1/397 Waitiki Farm in Likoni inflated the actual market price for the land by Sh110,000,000.

"The CS allegedly instructed valuers from her ministry to over value the land by the same margin. From the aforementioned figures, Mrs Ngilu allegedly is going to get a kickback of Sh65,000,000 once the land is bought by the Government for the settling of squatters currently occupying it. The remaining Sh45,000,000 is allegedly going to be shared by other interested parties in the transaction."

Investigation into the case that was reported on February 5 have since commenced.

Ngilu is also accused of conspiring with others to steal a parcel of land L.R No 209/19473 located along State House Crescent Road Nairobi from Myta Limited

"The said officials are namely Charity Ngilu, Sara Mwendwa -Chief Land Registrar, officers under the Chief Land Registrar, The Director of Survey, and its officers Julius Kitur and Albert Kitur," the document states.

The case that was reported on January 14 is under investigation.