Farida Karoney Blames Fred Matiang'i for Buying Controversial Ruaraka Land at Ksh1.5 Billion

Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney on Monday blamed Interior CS Fred Matiang'i and NLC chairman Muhammad Swazuri for the improper acquisition a controversial piece of land in Ruaraka constituency.

CS Karoney admitted that the government officials did not follow due process when Ksh1.5 Billion was paid to Huelands and Afrison Export company for the parcel where Ruaraka High and Drive Inn Primary Schools are built.

"We could have done better as a government on the process of purchasing the land.

"The government cannot claim advance possession of private land before purchasing it. This should not be allowed to happen. You either own it or not," she told the Senate Public Accounts and Investments Committee.

[caption caption="File image of Lands CS Farida Karoney"][/caption]

The CS further stated that the private firm was the original owner of the land before the government moved in and built two public schools in it.

Lands Principal Secretary Nicholas Muraguri added that there was a need for proper legislation to govern the process of government acquisition of private property.

The Ruaraka parcel of land was further linked to the GSU as the Ethics and Ati-Corruption Commission (EACC) announced that it was probing details of the purchase of the land.

According to EACC, the GSU survey map may have been altered to fraudulently value the land at Ksh3.2 Billion.

The anti-corruption commission further raised concerns that the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) may have paid an additional Ksh1.4 Billion for the land that was already in the possession of the government.

"The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) through the National Land Commission (NLC) has so far made payments of Sh1.4 billion to Afrison Import Export and Heulands Ltd, the proprietors of LR 7879/4. The proprietors are currently seeking a further compensation of Sh2.182 billion," the commission outlined in its submissions to the committee.

[caption caption="Lands CS Karoney, CAS Gideon Mung'aro and PS Muraguri during their appearance at Senate on May 14, 2018"][/caption]

 

  • .