Nkaissery said if Ngilu and Swazuri fail to do so by Thursday, “there will be consequences.” Photo/ FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 21 – Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery has challenged his Lands counterpart Charity Ngilu and National Land Commission (NLC) chairman Muhammad Swazuri to name directors of the firm claiming ownership of Lang’ata Road Primary school land by Thursday.
He told reporters that this will assist law enforcement agencies in taking action and also end ongoing speculation over who owns Airport View Housing Company.
Nkaissery said if Ngilu and Swazuri fail to do so by Thursday, “there will be consequences.”
“I have specific instructions, and I want to tell my colleague Hon. Ngilu and the NLC Chairman to ensure that they tell Kenyans by today or by tomorrow who are the grabbers, and if they fail, they must know there are consequences,” he said.
Nkaissery’s office swiftly sent a statement to newsrooms stressing that his remarks were not an ultimatum but a request to a fellow Cabinet Secretary.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had on Tuesday also demanded to know why Ngilu and Swazuri failed to tackle the matter before it got out of hand by telling Kenyans who the land belongs to.
He insinuated that the duo would be held liable for the delay in resolving the land issue. Five students were injured Monday as police dispersed protestors at the school grounds leading to angry reactions from leaders and the general public.
READ: Uhuru blasts officials over teargas assault on pupils
Ngilu and Swazuri on Wednesday supervised the demolition of part of the perimeter fence at Lang’ata Road Primary School. A section of the wall had already been brought down during Monday’s demonstration.
Ngilu asked for patience from President Kenyatta saying that she inherited an office with many problems and would need time to put all its affairs in order.
The Lands CS, Swazuri and Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero on Tuesday visited the school but none of them was willing to name the face behind the controversial grabbing of the institution’s play ground.
Ngilu and Swazuri said Airport View Housing Company is yet to furnish the NLC with documents as proof of ownership of the land.
READ: Tough talking Ngilu, Swazuri, Kidero visit grabbed land
The NLC boss said they will review the titles in a bid to know who the real owners of the housing company are and how they managed to get the prime property as the Nairobi City County had lodged a complaint about developments in the piece of land.
The review will be done on February 9.
According to preliminary investigation by the Lands Ministry, the school has been the legal owner of the two-acre piece of land since 1974.
The National Land Commission said on Friday that investigations by the officers from Lands Ministry unearthed two title deeds belonging to Airport View Housing Company having been acquired in 1989 and 1994 though the titles are conflicting as one bears 0.6 hectares (approximately 1 acre) and 0.2 acres, translated to approximately below half an acre.
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