Kenya Railways to name grabbers of its land

Kenya Railways MD Atanas Maina when he appeared before the National Assembly Public Investment Committee on audit queries at Parliament. [Boniface Okendo/Standard]

Kenya Railways will in the next 30 days name individuals who have grabbed land belonging to the corporation.

Managing Director Atanas Maina told the National Assembly Public Investments Committee (PIC) the firm's land had been grabbed and that they will unmask the culprits after completing their survey by end of August.

The corporation’s plots said to have been grabbed are in Malaba, Eldoret, Nanyuki, Kisumu and Bungoma.

Mr Maina told the House team chaired by Abdulswamad Nassir (Mvita) that the management is undertaking survey and registration of land in order to acquire titles to safeguard them against grabbers.

 “The then commissioners of land then local authorities might have allocated land belonging to Kenya Railways to individuals. No letters were written to us to authorise any transfer of ownership to anyone and, therefore, we consider that as abuse of office and action should be taken,” Maina said.

No activity

The MD told the committee that when they visited the National Lands Commission (NLC), it indicates their land is occupied but on the ground, there is no activity.

“Our surveyors have told us they will complete work by end of August. It is then that we will know the people who grabbed our land,” he added.

The lawmakers blamed the management of Kenya Railways for failing to protect public property under their custody through acquisition of title deeds which has exposed the parcels to grabbing.

“Why has it taken too long for Kenya Railways to get documents of their land which they acquired as early as Independence?” asked Wajir East MP Rashid Amin.

Kenya Railways is one of the State corporations named by NLC last week in their report for failing to provide documents for the land under its custody for the creation of Public Land Inventory (PLI).