Powerful Cabinet Ministers and politicians in former President Moi’s administration, who were sold land owned by the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) at Kiswani Home Farm Magarini, Kilifi county, risk losing it.
A National Assembly committee has recommended the tittle deeds issued to the officials revoked.
Members of the committee on Lands said the 125 beneficiaries were illegally sold the land at Sh20,000 an acre which was below the market price that ranged between Sh250,000 to Sh300,000.
Documents tabled before the committee in the past show that among the beneficiaries are former ministers Simeon Nyachae, Kipkalya Kones (deceased), Katana Ngala and former Nominated MP Ezekiel Barng’etuny (deceased).
Others are former Nominated Senator Zipporah Kittony, former Agriculture Finance Corporation managing director Gideon Toroitich, Kazai Katana, James Tuitoek, Christine Tuimor, Alexander Sitienei, Fatuma Noor, Shaban Isaac and Abu Muhammed.
The report says Nyachae bought 17.8 acres in 2006at Sh343,000, Kones 15.2 acres at Sh305,000 while Barng’etuny bought 14 acres at the cost of Sh288,000.
Lands Limited
Toroitich, Mohammed, Kittony, Tuitoek, Tuimor, Sitienei and Shaban acquired five acres each at Sh100,000.
They said the public land subdivided and sold to influential people without the approval of ADC or the Lands Limited board.
“The committee observed that the ADC Kiswani Home Firm land was illegally sold to 125 persons and companies at Sh20,000 per acre as opposed to the proposal to sell the land at Sh250,00 and Sh300,000 as indicated in a document titled note for the file, obtained by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission from ADC,” reads the report tabled last week.
Probe
Committee members also want EACC and the National Land Commission to expedite the probe of people who were involved in the distribution of the land and recommended their prosecution if found culpable.
In the report tabled by committee chair Rachel Nyamai (Kitui South), the MPs are asking the Registrar of Lands to immediately place restrictions on the land to stop further illegal disposal.
They also want EACC to probe circumstances under which former ADC managing director Adrew Tuimur acquired one share of Lands Limited, a subsidiary of ADC.
The land sold, between 1994 and 2006, originally belonged to residents of Sabaki ward who were evicted by the colonial government to pave way for the establishment of Kisima farm that later changed named to Kiswani Home farm.
The land was later repossessed by the government and handed over to ADC.
