The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has recovered land valued at Sh780million belonging to various public institutions which had been grabbed in Nakuru and Bomet counties.
EACC moved swiftly to recover the property after it received complaints from members of the public and owners.
The anti-graft agency on Thursday handed over the public properties to respective entities during a function at Nakuru’s Sarova Woodlands Hotel.
FIGHT GRAFT
Newly appointed EACC Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak, who was accompanied by his deputy Michael Mubea and Chairman Eliud Wabukala, said the body has renewed its fight against corruption.
“EACC is committed to the fight against graft; we are supporting a Bill tabled in the National Assembly that seeks stiffer penalties of life sentence for convicts of corruption,” said Mr Mbarak.
If the Anti-corruption and Economic Crimes (Amendment) Bill, 2019 drafted by Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro is approved, those convicted could spend the rest of their lives in jail.
KARLO LAND
In Nakuru, for instance, the EACC recovered land worth Sh490 million belonging to the Kenya Agricultural Research and Livestock Organisation (Karlo) in Naivasha which had been grabbed by a prominent person.
The 2,500-acre land had been set aside for a potato research centre before it was grabbed and fenced off.
Also recovered was a Sh150 million prime land belonging to the Postal Corporation, another government parastatal, which had been grabbed by a Jubilee Party politician.
The politician had fenced off the land located behind Nakuru’s Tower One Building which he turned into a parking lot.
But on July 16, 2018, EACC intervened and recovered the land.
According to Mr Dickson Nyagah, the parastatal had not transferred ownership of its land to any party.
SHOCKED
“I was shocked to see the land being fenced off by a private developer and that prompted me to report the matter to the EACC which moved swiftly and repossessed it,” said Mr Nyagah.
Others include a parcel of land in Section 58 valued at Sh8million whic had been reserved for a Muslim school, another piece of land in Ngei Estate on which houses for civil servants are built and another one valued at Sh20 million also within Nakuru town.
STADIUM
In Bomet, the anti-graft body recovered two parcels of land in Sotik town all valued at Sh4.4 million.
Part of the land in Sotik had been set aside for a stadium.
EACC on Wednesday handed over title deeds for the parcels of land.
The function was attended by chief administrative secretaries Gideon Mungaro (Land) and Nelson Gachuhie (Treasury).
Also present were Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui, Bomet Deputy Governor Hillary Barchok and Housing Principal Secretary Hinga Mwaura.