Anti corruption sleuths repossess 2,500 acres of land valued at Sh10 billion

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New EACC boss and ex-military intelligence officer Twalib Abdallah Mbarak has made a major breakthrough in the war against land grabbing after several tracts—all valued at more than Sh11 billion—were officially handed back to various government agencies yesterday.

Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Organisation (Kalro), which had become a soft target for land grabbers, is the biggest beneficiary after it repossessed 2,500 acres of land valued at Sh10 billion.

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According to the anti-graft agency, the parcels of land in Nakuru and Bomet counties had been grabbed by politicians, government officials, particularly in the Lands ministry and in some cases, private citizens.

Yesterday, EACC chief executive Twalib Mbarak and chairman Eliud Wabukala led a high-powered delegation of senior government officials in a fact-finding mission in the affected lands in Nakuru town, before handing over the ownership documents to rightful owners.

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Mbarak warned those targeting public land their days are numbered, saying the commission is determined to restore order in the country and no amount of intimidation would stop them. “We shall recover the land no matter how long it takes,” he said.

He warned President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big 4 Agenda would not be achieved if land issues are not addressed, saying land had become unaffordable.

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“We are having a big problem with SGR. We have a small stretch in Naivasha mapped for SGR but there are some issues of compensation,” Mbarak said, adding that the land in question has been overvalued.

He defended the agency against claims it was being used to settle political scores, saying they are objective, impartial and non-political.

“We are a non-political entity and we’re doing our job and we follow the rule of law,” he said.

Kalro director general Eliud Kiplimo said only 28 acres remain of the 245 acres agency land in Tigoni, Kiambu, after it was carved out by land-grabbers. “Our mandate is to support the livestock and agriculture sector through research and to do that we need land,” he said.

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