Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho on Wednesday, July 13, vowed to repossess Deputy President William Ruto's 2,500-acre-ranch in Taita Taveta County if the Azimio coalition forms government after the August 9 poll.
Speaking during an Azimio Coalition rally president over by presidential candidate Raila Odinga, Joho promised it would be his fast task to take back the land immediately after he was sworn in as Cabinet Secretary for Lands.
He spoke in the same county where Ruto acquired the massive ranch that former Taveta MP Basil Criticos previously owned.
"In Raila's government, no investigations will be done, that land has been grabbed and it shall be returned to the rightful owners," Joho stated.
Suna East MP Junet Mohamed had earlier called for investigations to establish how the DP came to own the land that has also been claimed by a section of locals.
During a Kenya Kwanza economic forum in Taveta on May 25, Ruto revealed that he had acquired the ranch and he helped Criticos offset a loan owed to the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC).
“You know even me I am an elder in Mata. The Former MP Basil Criticos shared a small chunk of the land after I helped him offset a loan at Agricultural Finance Corporation,” the DP remarked.
Joho also took issue with Ruto’s allies in the Coastal region for claiming that his appointment to the Lands docket was insignificant.
On port operations, he said Ruto had supported the transfer and he could not go back on his word, adding that there were audio recordings to support his claims.
“Ruto advocated for the transfer of the port operations to Nairobi and Naivasha and he cannot deny that,” he added.
The Mombasa Governor, who is serving the second and last term, was promised a Lands CS slot by Odinga if he clinches the presidency in the August 9, General Election.
Joho's remarks on Taveta land came a day after Azimio flagbearer Raila Odinga claimed the deputy president's acquisition of the ranch was questionable and should be surrendered.
“We have many squatters in this region, why did not he buy the land and distribute it to the locals here?" Odinga posed.
