Kenyan Buys Over Ksh 250K Daily Nation Space to Expose Ksh 11B Govt Scam

Photo collage of a person reading Daily Nation newspaper and a land put up for sale
Photo collage of a person reading the Daily Nation newspaper and land put up for sale.
NMG and Kenyan Homes

A Kenyan bought space on Daily Nation Tuesday, December 13 edition, to expose a syndicate believed to be at the centre of a Ksh11.16 billion land scam.

The anonymous Kenyan splashed north of Ksh240,000 to buy half a page of Nation's newspaper to appeal to President William Ruto to intervene over the alleged land fraud.

The plea, published on Daily Nation's page eight, allegedly linked a cartel to six fraud cases at the National Land Commission.

"How a Single Daring Cartel Entrenched at the National Land Commission Are Working to Rob The Kenyan Exchequer of Ksh11.16 Billion," the letter directed to Ruto read in part.

President William Ruto aheads to the VIP dais after inspecting a guard of honour during the Jamhuri Day celebrations at Nyayo Stadium on Monday, December 12, 2022.
President William Ruto heads to the VIP dais after inspecting a guard of honour during the Jamhuri Day celebrations at Nyayo Stadium on Monday, December 12, 2022.
Ministry of Youth

The letter linked the cartel to land fraud targeting Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) compensation worth Ksh8 billion. It alleged that the syndicate had claimed over 60 percent of the Mazeras land, Kilifi County. 

Following the scheme, over 30 individuals were set to miss out on the government's compensation money.

Additionally, the cartel claimed ownership of the Mombasa International Airport access road, which was set to receive Ksh295.9 million in compensation from the government.

That would see Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), the rightful owners, lose funds.

"Astonishingly, the very same cartel proxy also claims he owns Miritini Mangrove Forest, Foreshore Conservancy and wants Kenya Railways Corporation to pay vide NLC for apparently using his land," the claimant wrote, indicating that Kenya Railways would lose Ksh1.447 billion from the scheme.

Road agencies, including Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), were also set to lose Ksh1.421 billion in the alleged scam.

The claimant thus appealed to President Ruto to intervene by ending graft at the National Lands Commission.

"We believe that these two legacy footprints, when implemented in tandem, have the unique properties of a potent socio-economic development catalyst that will ensure every Kenyan can earn a decent living and pursue their dreams free of hindrance, without regard to race, ethnic grouping or economic class," the letter read in part.

"The Kenyan government cannot afford to lose tens of billions of shillings to graft cartels and their proxies. To achieve your most noble promises to the Kenyan people, this must stop," the aggrieved Kenyan maintained.

By the time of this publication, the National Lands Commission had not issued a statement regarding the allegations published on Daily Nation.

A Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train while in transit.
A Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train while in transit on June 18, 2021.
Photo
Kenya Railways
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