Grabbed Public Land: EACC Detectives Head to City Hall

• County Executive Committee has resolved to revoke titles deeds for all grabbed public utility land in the city and ownership of the properties reverted to City Hall.
• Heads are set to roll at City Hall, a citadel of graft, historical cases of land grabbing and illegal disposal of public properties by county officials.

The Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission is headed to City Hall to investigate how individuals and private entities acquired land set aside for public utilities in Nairobi and secured title deeds.

Nairobi County Executive Committee (Cabinet) chaired by Governor Johnson Sakaja has sanctioned the revocation of illegal title deeds for all the county government land parcels reserved for public utility.

Under his governing policy, Governor Sakaja has declared zero tolerance on illegal acquisition of public land in the city. At his ascension to power, he vowed to ensure repossession of all grabbed public utility land in the county.

The County Executive Committee has consequently invited detectives from the EACC to City Hall to carry out forensic investigations to unravel how several public utility land parcels were grabbed by private entities and individuals and title deeds acquired.

On Thursday 14th September, 2023 the County Executive Committee resolved to have titles deeds for all the grabbed public utility land in the city revoked and ownership of the properties reverted to City Hall.

In a terse communique, the Executive Committee firmly resolved that all the culprits including county officials found culpable should be prosecuted.

“The County Executive Committee has resolved to invite the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission to investigate circumstances under which public land was grabbed and titles produced”, it said in the statement.

In Hot Soup

The communique further indicates the cabinet decision is aimed at cancelling the titles and taking action against those involved in illegal alienation of public utility land in the city.

In a quite unprecedented move, heads are set to roll at City Hall as dreaded sleuths from the EACC enter City Hall, a citadel of graft, historical cases of land grabbing cases and illegal disposal of public properties by county officials.

The grabbed parcels of land under investigation include two on which public learning institutions stand and others set aside for development of social amenities like community halls and shopping centres.

One of the land parcels earmarked for repossession is that on which Nairobi City County Upper Hill Day Nursery School in Lang’ata Sub-County stands. 

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Two private entities have produced two separate titles claiming ownership of the property in controversial circumstances.

The County Executive Committee resolved that both titles be revoked and the land repossessed immediately.

On 14th August, 2023 Woodley/Kenyatta Golf Course Ward MCA Davidson DNG Ngibuini wrote to the County Chief Officer, Lands raising concerns about interference with Upper Hill Day Nursery School, off Elgon Road.

Another parcel is the one on which Kimathi Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) in Embakasi West Sub-County stands. A private entity claiming ownership of the land parcel has produced a title deed for a shopping mall.

Demolish The School

According to a report issued by the county administration, the individual has threatened to demolish the ECDE centre on account of holding a title deed to the property. However, the Committee has approved revocation of the title and repossession of the land.

The county cabinet revealed that the land parcel had originally been set aside for development of a shopping centre and a community Hall during the planning of Kimathi Estate, before the residents opted for a school.

Impeccable sources at City Hall told The Informer the land parcels could have been allocated through collusion schemes involving senior county officials acting in cahoots with the beneficiaries for monetary gain.

In his letter, Mr Ngibuini said Upper Hill Day Nursery School had been invaded and illegal structures built on the school land.

Mr Ngibuini wants boundaries for the school land marked and the illegal structures removed.

He has proposed expansion of the school to include lower primary, erection of a perimeter wall to safeguard the property from potential grabbers.

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