The Presidency, which includes State House and Mr Ruto’s offices, lobbied MPs to approve Sh500 million allocated in the budget.
The open space behind DP office was gazetted by the NLC for compulsory acquisition on security grounds.
Land in Nairobi remains most expensive in the Upper Hill area at an average of Sh509.5 million an acre.
Taxpayers will foot the bill for a Sh1 billion parcel of land adjacent to Deputy President’s Harambee House Annex for security reasons.
The Presidency, which includes State House and Deputy President William Ruto’s offices, Wednesday lobbied MPs to approve Sh500 million allocated in the budget for the year starting July for the purchase of the 0.7 acre plot.
State House indicated the amount will only settle part of the land purchase bill, arguing more resources will be needed in the year starting July 2018 to settle an undisclosed balance.
But documents submitted to the National Assembly’s committee on Administration and National Security indicated a balance of Sh500.02 million for the land acquisition, pushing the total to Sh1 billion.
Acquisition of land
“We are seeking an allocation of Sh500 million for acquisition of land adjacent to the Harambee House Annex plot number L.R 209/11540,” John Makumi, the State House administration secretary, told the National Assembly’s committee on Administration and National Security during the scrutiny of the Presidency budget for the financial year starting July.
Dr Makumi said the open space behind DP office was gazetted by the National Land Commission (NLC) for compulsory acquisition on security grounds.
The NLC chair in June 2015 expressed intention to acquire the property from Rahab Wanjiru, making it one of the most lucrative land deals in the capital.
Land in Nairobi remains most expensive in the Upper Hill area at an average of Sh509.5 million an acre, according to real estate consultancy HassConsult.
This underlines the worth of private land, like the one in Mrs Wanjiru’s hands, in what is considered the government square which houses the DP’s office, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s office and Parliament.
On Wednesday, committee members demanded details of the transaction with chairman Asman Kamama saying the PS in the office of the DP will be summoned to Parliament to shed light on the land deal.
The government in 2009 acquired Shell BP House, now renamed Harambee House Annex, at a cost of about Sh1 billion to House then Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
“I transacted the Kenya Cinema land with a building at Sh400 million. I am shocked about an empty plot costing Sh500 million and has no building. We must investigate this issue further,” Peter Kaluma, the Homa Bay MP, said.
