Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Mulongo and Forestry Principal Secretary, Gitonga Mugambi, have been summoned to appear before Parliament over allegations of illegal allocation of land in Ngong Forest to private investors.
The National Assembly Committee on Environment, Forestry, and Mining has directed the duo to appear before it on June 19. This came after Mulongo and Mugambi ignored similar summons three times in a row.
Chaired by MP Kiprop Kamuren, the committee is investigating alleged irregularities involving land within the Ngong Road Forest.
The MPs are seeking to establish whether public land meant for conservation was illegally allocated to private developers, potentially endangering one of Nairobi’s most significant green spaces.
Reports indicated that sections of the Ngong Road Forest have been fenced off, restricting public access and raising fears of encroachment, while construction of a hotel is ongoing.
Despite being summoned three times to clear the air over the allegations, the CS and the PS are yet to appear before the committee, raising concerns among lawmakers about government transparency in handling land disputes.
The officials have been accused of undermining national matters, including the alleged undervaluation of a forest area at Moi International Airport from Ksh3 billion to Ksh500 million.
Despite public concerns, the two leaders have also failed to explain the ongoing construction of a luxurious hotel at Ngong Forest Road.
“This is the third time she has not appeared before the committee. The public deserves answers, and the government must demonstrate accountability on matters of environmental protection,” Kamuren said.
According to Kamuren, such actions by leaders who take summons with contempt and fail to offer accountability on matters of concern are the reasons why the country keeps on witnessing protests from Gen Zs.
The lawmakers argue that the fact that these two leaders are failing to appear even after being summoned three times signals that the Ministry might be hiding suspicious activities.
''That aspect that the PS does not want to appear tells us there is something that is being hidden by the Ministry,'' Titus Lotee Kacheliba MP noted.
The leaders have warned the CS and PS that if they don't show up to clear the air on the irregularities, then they will rally Kenyans to demonstrate against them.
''If they want the process to go as it should, then they should come here and clear the air, and let the public know. If parliament cannot do it, let's ask the public to demonstrate against this,'' Lotee continued.
