The High Court has today Monday summoned three senior land officials over the transfer of 659 hectares of public land to a private developer.
Justice John Mutungi has ordered the National Land Commission Secretary, the Chief Lands Registrar and Nairobi City County Director of Survey to demystify how Renton Company Limited acquired the multimillion plot in Ruai, meant for expansion of a sewer treatment plant in Nairobi.
The case was filed by a group of squatters who were kicked out of the plot and city businessman Jacob Juma, who was allowed to join the proceedings on behalf of the public, The Nation reports.
The petitioners want the title held by Renton revoked, and the parcel reverted to its proposed public use.
Renton company claims it is the genuine owner of the land having been allocated the land by the now defunct Nairobi City Council.
However Juma claims that the government allocated the land to the former Nairobi City Council in 1996 to set up a sewer treatment plant and other facilities as part of the Nairobi Metropolitan Growth Strategy of 1973.
The petitioner further notes that the manner in which the transfer alleged by the defendant was made fraudulently and in breach of the constitution.
He claims that the land was registered in favour of the former city council government on April 12, 1996 at 9.30am and then transferred to Renton Limited at 10.25am the same day.
According to juma this same day transfer could not have complied with the special condition for the transfer in which the Commissioner of Lands has to append a signature.
Juma has asked the court to restrain Renton from using the multi-million-shilling property until the case is determined.
The case will be heard on June 17.
