Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, on Tuesday, March 28, queried Lands Cabinet Secretary Zachariah Njeru over a deal in which private developers were allocated parcels of public land in some city estates.
While speaking in the Senate, Sifuna sought reports from the Ministry of Land after it emerged that public community land in Buruburu Phase 5 along Katulo Road was allocated to private developers.
The first-time Senator detailed that the land was meant for public utility and open spaces but the government allocated it to some wealthy individuals to set up commercial establishments.
Sifuna insisted that other plots within the Buruburu Estate had also been given to several developers depriving the community of much-needed spaces.
To address the issue, Sifuna called on CS Njeru to conduct a proper evaluation to ascertain if value of private development on public land outweighs the value of public development.
Besides pushing for evaluation, Sifuna asked the Committee on Land to outline the steps taken by the Nairobi City County Government to reverse the illegal acquisition and safeguard public utility land from grabbing in the future.
Further, Sifuna implored the Committee to engage the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) in investigating the illegal allegations of the public utility plots and open spaces in Buruburu Estate.
"Outline steps taken by the Nairobi City government to reverse the illegal acquisition and to safeguard public utility and land from grabbing in the future," Sifuna stated.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General argued that proper evaluation and accountability were key to tackling the surge in private developers invading public community land in various parts of the city.
His demands came shortly after a private developer kicked a foreign national out of his private property in Westlands. Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko intervened, exposing the developers behind the raid.
Later, the court ruled that the developer had forged documents for the piece of land.
A similar case was reported in Kitisuru Estate where a widow alleged a scheme to disinherit her by some private developers. However, police intervention stopped the scheme.
