The cases of public land grabbing in Kenya is still continuing despite numerous threats from the head of state president Uhuru Kenyatta.
Recently, Prisons Commissioner General, Wycliffe Ogalo has raised concerns over the wanton grabbing of Prison’s Department’s land by faceless individuals across the country.
He said that the exercise is hindering the expansion of properties impacting negatively to the nature of doing business.
Land grabing has become non_issue to us,hata barabara ni somebody‘s plot lol,in Kenya will soon walk on air it is the only space left
— Nasra Mohamed (@nasramohamed27) July 8, 2016
The Prison’s boss raised the red flag during his tour of Kisii Main Prison facility. However, Ogalo at the same time put individuals who have grabbed the land on notice saying the government will use all the resources and means available to evict the suspects in the process of reclaiming the land.
“It’s unfortunate that land has been grabbed in all the 129 prisons in the country and Kisii being the main prison in this region lacks land for expansion something that has led to congestion,” he said.
@CapitalFM_kenya;land grabing has bcme a thony issue in knya;its a matter mst highlighted,xpecialy in nrb bt govrnmnt has offered a deaf ear
— charles mwangi (@charles25945370) January 20, 2015
He directed people who have grabbed prison land across the country to surrender it before being caught by the long arm of government.
The head of the prison also noted with great concern that the Kisii Prison is already congested as it plays custody to not only inmates drawn from Kisii county but also Nyamira and other regions.
He pledged to fast-track construction of a prison facility in Nyamira to help ease congestion. According to Nicholas Mwandau, the in-charge Kisii prison, there are 1,064 inmates in the facility currently; with males contributing up to 87 percent.
But while addressing the matter of risk allowance for prison officers, Ogalo said that government was doing her best to improve the welfare of the prison officers.
Senators want people who grabbed prison land prosecuted, with the help of the Director of Public Prosecution, Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
Samson Cherargei, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights, recently cited loss of property including at least eight hectares belonging to the Kilifi GK Prison.
“We [went] to Nairobi’s Industrial Area Prison and others in Eldoret and Kilifi and noticed that there are people who have grabbed land. Prisons across the country lack title deeds,” he said.