Political sharks wrestle land from squatters

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.

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.