Former kiambu governor William Kabogo has come out strongly to defended the Weston hotel land located along langata road.According to the former Governor, the property is charged heavily with a Kenyan bank and demolishing the property will only do harm to Kenyans.
The land is in a controversial row between directors of Weston Hotel Limited and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
He further argues that demolishing the construction on the 0.77hectares is not an option as it will cost the bank and therefore Kenyans.
The former politician further alleges that the civil aviation has enough land to do all that they need.
This property is charged heavily in KCB. Demolishing it is not an option as it’ll cost KCB and therefore Kenyans. Let it be. civil aviation has enough land to do all that they need. pic.twitter.com/sigNw43YQJ
— Hon. William Kabogo (@honkabogo) December 20, 2018
Weston Hotel is the latest architectural addition, a multi million shilling project that silently sneaked into the hospitality scene before it found itself caught in the muddy waters of a yester-year land grab.
Before the saga pitting Lang’ata Road Primary School snowballed, few people knew about Weston or its location.
In October during public hearings, Ruto defended his acquisition of the land on Lang’ata road, saying he had bought it legitimately. The DP has already acquired Sh1.3 billion loan using the title of the land.
Mr Abdullahi denied that his client had acquired the land irregularly, saying no one had come forward to claim the property since it was acquired. He also said no complaint had been received from the State or any individual during the hotel’s construction.
“Our client is not aware of any allegations of fraud or misrepresentation against him in procuring the transfer and registration of the property. In any event, if such an allegation were made, it would be the duty of the person making such claims to prove it.”
Abdullahi told the NLC panel that Ruto acquired the land in 2007 for Sh10 million from its registered owners, Priority Management Ltd and Monene Investments Limited.
Ruto, his wife Rachel Chebet Kimeto and daughter Charlene Chelagat Ruto are listed as directors of Weston Hotel Limited.
The hotel, according to a valuation report by Zenith (Management) Valuers Ltd, was valued at Sh300 million in May this year and had been charged to a bank for Sh1.2 billion.
On December 7, 2011, Ruto charged the property for Sh100 million, which was discharged on October 8, 2014. Ruto and Rachel signed the charge documents on December 8, 2011 as directors of Weston.
Ruto then charged the property to Kenya Commercial Bank for a Sh350 million and $1.5 million (about Sh150 million) facility on June 30, 2014. This charge was signed by Rachael and Charlene.
On July 8, 2015, Weston took a further charge of Sh700 million which was signed by Rachael and Charlene before lawyer Nancy W. Gitau. This took the total charge at KCB to Sh1.2 billion. All the charges were prepared by thelaw firm of Hamilton, Harris and Mathews (HH&M).
“KCB subsequently extended additional credit facilities to our client and as a result instructed HH&M to prepare further charge over the property, which was stamped and registered,” said Abdullahi.
He added: “Our client is a bona fide purchaser for value. If there is any defect on the title, our client was not aware of it. The allottee has a valid grant obtained from Government, on which was endorsed the transfer to our client.”
The lawyer told NLC to consider the legality of documents by Weston, saying the hotel directly employed 141 people with several hundred in indirect employment as suppliers and taxi operators.
NLC wrote to Weston on October 8 explaining that it was carrying out inquiries on the circumstances around the allocation and registration of LR Number 209/14372 on Lang’ata Road.
Should weston be demolished even though it is charged with a KSH1.3 billion Loan?