Its the anti-corruption day in Kenya but unfortunately instead of celebrating the war Kenyans re crying as loads of embezzlement scandals are continuously being revealed showing a worsened state of corruption in the nation.
How 87.9 hectares (217 acres) of land belonging to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) was excised and allocated to firms and individuals is a mystery that has baffled the National Land Commission (NLC).
The commission is now preparing to revoke 119 titles that were illegally acquired as JKIA was regularising its ownership of the land where the airport sits, as well as after the region’s premier aviation hub acquired its title in 1996.
“There are two kinds of people we are dealing with: some inside the airport who got the titles just before JKIA got theirs, and others who were creating titles on top of the JKIA title,” NLC vice chairperson Abigael Mbagaya said.
Of the 87.9 hectares under review, 77.3 hectares were excised after 1996 after JKIA had its title, and only 10.6 hectares before then.
The NLC says the 119 titles are just a part of the illegal allocations on JKIA land. “Only those with available data (have been) included”, meaning hundreds others could be out there.
For instance, the parcel of land (LR No. 9042/632) claimed by Hunting Aerospace has been identified to have been hived off, while LR Nos. 14231 and 13512, owned by two Syokimau land companies, sit right inside the proposed second runway at JKIA.
The real beneficiaries of the illegal excisions may never be known as most of the titles are in the names of shadowy companies and include notorious Syokimau firms, which have over the years been accused of land grabbing and defrauding buyers.
On November 22, the NLC summoned firms and individuals who lay claim to plots within JKIA to a meeting to “tell us how they acquired titles to land that belongs to JKIA”.
“They appeared and requested to be given time to respond to claims by JKIA, which had reported that the land had been given to the airport many decades ago and it got a title for the entire land measuring 4,674.6 hectares,” Ms Mbagaya said.
A full hearing is scheduled for December 19. In the meantime, preparations to revoke the illegal titles are ongoing.
How do you think all of these land in question was stolen?