Crucial Day For DP Ruto!! Weston Hotel To come down?

The National Land Commission (NLC) will convene on Thursday to make a crucial ruling in the case of Weston Hotel, associated with Deputy President William Ruto. A draft report that had been prepared had recommended that title for Weston Hotel be revoked.

NLC will either adopt the report or amend it before notifying Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and Weston who are contesting ownership. During the Thursday meeting, if NLC adopts the report in its draft form, then Ruto will lose the land but he can appeal the decision at the High Court.

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There has also been fear that any decision arrived at by the NLC in the absence of the chairman might have its legality challenged. NLC Vice Chairperson Abigail Mbagaya stated that in the absence of the Chair the second in command can chair meetings since the law allows it.

Ruto who is represented by lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi, justified his purchase of the land on Lang’ata road, saying he had bought it legitimately. Mr Ahmednasir denied that his client sporadically obtained the land, stating that no one had ever claimed the property since he procured.

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He further argued that during the hotel’s construction, Ruto did not receive any complaint from the State or any individual. KCAA told NLC a powerful cartel operating in the Lands ministry in cahoots with its own officers conspired to relinquish the land for an alternative one in Embakasi.

If the report is adopted in its draft form, and members append their signatures, then Ruto will lose the land and will only be left with an option of turning to the High Court for appeal.Should the NLC rule in favour of Weston, the KCAA will also have an option of challenging the decision in court.

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“The fact is that the land belongs to KCAA. That is what we established. But let’s wait for the commission meeting on Thursday,” a senior official of NLC told The Standard on Tuesday evening.

Commission vice chair Abigail Mbagaya will chair the meeting, given that Muhammad Swazuri, the chairman, is barred by a court order from participating in the commission’s meetings due the corruption case he is facing.

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Yesterday, Ms Mbagaya declined to comment on the verdict, saying we should be patient. “When a decision is made, we shall make it public. Be patient,” she said.

The NLC boss, however, insisted that the issue of Weston Hotel land was among many matters that had to be determined before the term of the current NLC could expire in February next year.

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There has also been fear that any decision arrived at by the NLC in the absence of the chairman might have its legality challenged, though Mbagaya stated otherwise.

“Read the law. In the absence of the chairman, who conducts meetings of the commission? Is it not the vice chairperson?” she posed.The number of members NLC requires to attain a quorum is at least five, being the simple majority, to make any binding decision.

Other members, other than Mbagaya, are Abdulkadir Khalif, Clement Lenachuru, Emma Muthoni Njogu, Dr Rose Musyoka, Dr Samuel Tororei, Silas Kinoti and Dr Tomiik Konyimbih.

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