High Court Judge Caught Up in School Land Scandal

By Tobby Otum

The name of controversial High Court judge Justice Saidi Chitembwe features prominently in an inquiry into the alleged encroachment of 12.37 acres of land for the proposed Nyali Secondary School in Mombasa county.

Tempers flared after National Lands Commission [NLC] vice chairperson Getrude Nguru lost her temper and cautioned a developer on the disputed parcel of land to stop insulting her.

Chitembwe, who is represented by his counsel Brian Wafula, is one of those who have done some development on the parcel of land which is the subject of the inquiry by the NLC.

During the inquiry at the Kenya School of Government [KSG] Wafula put on a brave face saying Chitembwe bought the disputed land with structures already in place.

At one stage Nguru warned Said Omar Athama, one of the beneficiaries of the disputed land, to stop insulting her.

Athama accused the commission of taking sides on the disputed land and demanded to be furnished with documents from the school administration which claims to own the land.

The NLC vice chairperson issued a summon to county director of lands and lands survey to appear before the commission to shed more light on allegations that a governor is among those who has grabbed part of the land as he calls the shots in the coast region.

Getrude announce the commission will visit the site of the disputed land before the inquiry resumes its inquiry next year.

One of Mombasa parents association board of trustees member John Mwangi said the disputed land is owned by both the primary and secondary schools and accused private developers of encroaching on the school’s land.

He told the commission the property belonged to Nyali Primary School and those who claim to own the parcel of land lack supporting documents.

“All the big names being mentioned illegally and fraudulently acquired the land,” he said.

The Mombasa parents association board of trustees member insisted the school board members’ stand is that they want to repossess the school land to put up a secondary school.

Mwangi lashed out at those who encroached on the 12.37 acres of land for causing the delay to put up the secondary school in the area.

He insisted the documents presented before the commission are not genuine and lack supporting evidence.

“We have the funds ready to build the secondary school to improve the education standards in the constituency,” he insisted.

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