Kisumu, Nairobi Governors yet to respond to wetlands invasion case

Governors Jack Ranguma (Left) and Evans Kidero at a past event. PHOTO: FILE

Two governors have one last chance to submit their responses in a case in which they are accused of encroaching on Lake Victoria.

Justice Stephen Kibunja gave governors Jack Ranguma (Kisumu) and Evans Kidero (Nairobi), and a senior official in the Ministry of Lands, Alice Kudia, the last chance to respond to a case barring them from starting construction work on the wetlands.

Michael Nyanguti, the complainant, claimed that the three owned swathes of land around Lake Victoria. Mt Nyanguti said Mr Ranguma owned two plots in Kisumu's Korando region while Dr Kidero owned seven.

He claimed Dr Kudia owned two plots in Kogony.

The hearing failed to kick off for the second time yesterday as the accused were yet to respond to the suit papers.

Sam Onyango, a lawyer representing the governors, asked the court to give his clients two more weeks to file their responses.

Nyanguti sought court orders stopping the defendants from building on the wetlands.

The three were directed to file a response to the applications made by the complainant last year, but they failed to do so.

And yesterday, Nyanguti told the court that he had only received a response from the National Environment Management Authority.

He noted that the areas the defendants had encroached were at risk of being depleted.

Nyanguti told the court that the defendants had already fenced off the wetlands, with Ranguma building a perimeter wall around the land in contention.

"Currently, the country is facing severe drought and most of the wetlands are drying up. Yet a wetland area has been fenced off by the defendants," said Nyanguti.

He requested the court to visit the wetlands the defendants had encroached to see the severity of the case.

Last year, the same court rejected an application to block prosecution of the two governors.

This was after the complainant had told the court that they had fenced off plots beyond their demarcated boundaries, which had resulted in encroachment of the wetlands.

"This court is granting the accused the last chance to file their responses," said Justice Kibunjia.

The case was adjourned until April 6.