The Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) has opened up on a plot by KANU to take over the land on which the iconic tower block stands.
While appearing before National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee (PIC), KICC Chief Executive Nana Gecaga stated that despite holding the title deed for the land on which the office block stands, KANU has moved to court claiming its ownership.
Gecaga also stated that Armstrong Kasuku, who trades as Garden Square Restaurant, has also filed a suit claiming ownership.
The revelation came out when Gecaga was responding to audit queries in a committee chaired by Abdulswamad Nassir claiming that KICC only owns a title deed for land measuring 1.694 acres where the tower block stands.
She also told the committee that KICC has no title deeds to prove ownership of the parking area, commonly known as Comesa Grounds, the land where Garden Square Restaurant stands, and the statue of Kenya’s founding President Jomo Kenyatta.
MPs heard that the parking area land as well as where Garden Square and Kenyatta statue- stand in records appear as “unallocated government land.”
“Ms Kasuku said in court pleadings that he was allocated the Garden Square land by former President and Kanu chairman Daniel arap Moi,” Ms Janefrancis Mutisya, the KICC corporation secretary/director legal services told PIC.
Gecaga pleaded with the Committee to help KICC secure title deeds for the disputed lands as their efforts had stalled.
“Land issues have been a source of major concern for us. We have tried everything including going to court,” Gecaga said.
The KICC land ownership saga was whistle-blown by Auditor General Nancy Gachungu in her report to the parliament.
In a report, Auditor General revealed that the land valued at Ksh2.2 billion on which the iconic tower stands is not registered in the name of the state.
She further noted that the identity of the individuals who own the parcel is yet to be made public.
"It has also been noted that the land in which Kenyatta International Convention Centre building stands is not registered in the name of the Corporation although its value has been included in the financial statements," stated Gathungu.
