Senators from the House Health Committee were on Tuesday, February 22, locked out of a construction land believed to have been grabbed by a private developer. That is despite the presence of police officers
The lawmakers, who included nominated senator Millicent Omanga, are conducting investigations into how the parcel of land located in Nairobi's Parklands area was allocated to a private developer who is putting up apartments.
The legislators are seeking to unravel the deal between the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) headed by Major-General Mohammed Badi and the developer. The owner, however, failed to open the gate despite police presence
It is believed that the land belongs to a public health centre identified as High Ridge.
"We are here to find out whether due process was ever followed because from the stories we have gathered and from which we are going to seek more information is that due process has not been followed," The Committee's chair Michael Mbito stated.
His sentiments were corroborated by Wajir Senator Ali Abdullahi who observed that it was troubling for the watchman at the site to be locked inside the compound and the developer was yet to address them.
"We are coming to inquire why the place is locked, why is the watchman locked inside? What is wrong with the proprietor coming here and telling us that is how things are done and he has rightfully acquired this land
"You will always have to question when people run away," stated Abdullahi.
Badi was also put on the spot after NMS allegedly withheld information on the parcel of land despite their attempts to get answers since November 2021.
"We are urging Director-General Badi to make sure that his team, especially those in the Lands Department, should be able to answer our questions appropriately. We are going to summon them to the committee including the proprietor," Abdullahi told Citizen TV.
NMS is also come under sharp criticism following an agreement it sealed with the same contractor over the construction at a different site owned by the office of the Parklands Member of County Assembly.
The construction resumed after NMS had abruptly stopped in 2020.
"This land grabbing will not continue. This cartels will not continue. We have to stop it as the Senate and as an oversight body which protects the county government, we will not allow," stated Omanga.
Badi has been summoned to appear before the committee alongside officials from the Nairobi County Government.
