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Kenya Railways seeks help to recover 500 grabbed land plots

KIP

Kipkelion railway station. PHOTO | ANITA CHEPKOECH | NMG

Kenya Railways Corporation (KR) has submitted to the anti-graft watchdog about 500 cases of its parcels of land that have been irregularly and illegally acquired for further investigations.

The KR management told Parliament that it is working closely with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) in conducting investigations into land allocated to third parties with the aim of recovery.

“The corporation has identified around 500 cases countrywide of parcels irregularly and illegally acquired and the same submitted to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission for further investigations,” KR said in a report to Parliament.

The corporation made the disclosures in a report on the implementation of House recommendations that compelled the KR managing director to expedite acquisition of land ownership documents for all its land irregularly allocated to third parties and ensure that the land reverts back to the corporation.

The Public Investments Committee (PIC) recommended that the managing director place a caveat on disputed parcels of land.

PIC directed the National Land Commission (NLC) to expedite the processing of title deeds of all parcels of land owned by the corporation to secure and protect KR land from illegal acquisition by third parties.

“The managing director confirms that the corporation is in the process of carrying out survey and registration of all its operational land and marshalling yards for purposes of acquiring ownership documents,” said in a brief presented to the House by the Treasury secretary Henry Rotich.

Article 153(4)(b) of the Constitution and House Standing Order number 201 requires Mr Rotich to prepare a Treasury memorandum on the implementation of House resolutions by respective State corporations and government agencies.

The Treasury vide letter Ref: CONF.268/03/A dated May 25, 2018 wrote to NLC chairman Muhamad Swazuri seeking a status report on the revocation of illegally acquired Kenya Railways land.

“However, by the time of compiling the report, the response had not been received,” Mr Rotich said in a report to the House.

KR said it is working closely with the NLC to speed up the process of registration to obtain title deeds.

“To achieve this, the corporation has engaged four surveying consultants to undertake countrywide surveys and registration of all operational land,” KR said.

The corporation says the exercise will see the survey of a total of 150 railway stations and marshalling yards measuring 2,700 acres approximately finalised.

“This will ensure that all land irregularly allocated to third parties is identified, illegal surveys cancelled and titles revoked and the same registered under the corporation,” the management said.

KR said the exercise was expected to be completed by the end of 2018.