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Directors of Lamu land grab firms summoned

CID Director Ndegwa Muhoro. Photo/FILE

CID Director Ndegwa Muhoro. Photo/FILE

NAIROBI Kenya, Aug 6 – The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Director Ndegwa Muhoro has summoned directors of 20 companies that were listed as having acquired land in Lamu County illegally.

He said so far, only directors of two firms and 15 lands officials have recorded statements with the probe team. This comes as investigations led by the National Police Service get enhanced.

Siaya Senator James Orengo has been accused of failing to stop the irregularity when he served as a Land minister. On his part, Orengo says his conscience is clear and instead blames powerful politicians whom he says have also grabbed land in other parts of the country.

The government has however vowed to bring the culprits to book once investigations are complete.

The Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko has urged the Ethics and Anti-corruption commission (EACC) and the police to conduct a joint investigation on the issue.

On Monday, Tobiko wrote to Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo and EACC Director Mumo Matemu asking them to coordinate their investigations.

The DPP said he had already appointed a team of prosecutors to assist the police and EACC in the probe and compile a report which will be forwarded to his office.

“From media reports, it appears that investigations into the above-mentioned matter are being carried out by your respective institutions separately,” he pointed out.

And even as the probe got underway, Orengo who is at the centre of the storm insists he is unfairly targeted, and instead named powerful individuals he claim owns land illegally in the country.

Labour Cabinet secretary Kazungu Kambi who is among influential leaders named by Orengo on Monday as one of the land grabbers in the country said a case on the land in question is still pending in court.

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“When a thief is caught stealing, instead of asking for forgiveness from Kenyans he instead says there is another one… he should carry his own cross!” Kambi said.

“Orengo, please carry your own cross, if it is about going to the prison, I will bring newspapers to you.”

Orengo had claimed that those linking him to land grabbing were unscrupulous land cartels that had now regrouped and picked him as a soft target.

“There are no cartels fighting him as he alleges. It is his shoddy deals when he was at the ministry of lands that keep haunting him,” protested Kambi.

According to Orengo, the spirited effort to cancel titles of 22 companies which shared half a million acres of land in Lamu is motivated by a group of powerful individuals whom he claims are out to grab more land elsewhere in the country.

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