No end in battle for institute property

Residents of Kiambu and students of Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) when they held demonstrations over the alleged grabbing of the institute's land yesterday. (Kamau Maichuhie, Standard)

The battle over the land belonging to Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) is now heading to court.

Former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo and nominated Senator, Isaac Mwaura yesterday led protests against what they claimed was grabbing of land meant for the institute.

Kabogo said the land was bought through fund raisers led by the Kenya's first president,  Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.

“I have gone to the survey of Kenya and found out that the land has been subdivided at least 11 times. I am giving the people who have grabbed the land seven days to return it, failure to which I will go to court,” said Kabogo.

On his part, Senator Mwaura said Kiambu residents would not sit and watch as the land belonging to the institute was being grabbed, and called upon Governor Ferdinand Waititu to intervene.

Senator's appeal

“We want to see the governor fighting for the return of the land to the institute just as he did before he was elected,” said Mwaura.

Fresh details of the grabbing of the 200 acres emerged last week.

A student leader who declined to be named said the grabbing had denied the institute land for expansion. 

"The institute has a very big piece of land yet many of us are living outside the institute due to lack of hostels. We also do not have a number of facilities. It is the high time this issue is solved for the benefit of the students," he said.

According to maps from survey of Kenya dated June 13, 2017, the land has been subdivided into at least 10 parcels.

A source at the Lands ministry headquarters said it was not possible to know the faces behind the subdivisions since the process was ongoing.