Questions raised over SGR firm occupying public land

The Chinese firm which built the Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge railway (SGR) is accused of illegally occupying a piece of land originally owned by the department of children services.

Parliament heard that the lease agreement between the China Roads and Bridge Cooperation (CRBC) and the State department Labour and Social Protection has not been finalised, rendering occupancy of the land illegal.

“Any occupancy by China Roads and Bridge Cooperation would be illegal,” Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, who chairs the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), said in a report.

Former Auditor-General Edward Ouko had questioned the validity of title deed to the Kabete/Getathuru land held by the directorate of Children Services department. The plot has been housing the Nairobi Children’s Remand Home since 1957.

Mr Ouko said an allotment letter dated July 19, 2012 indicates the size of the land as 28.6 hectares.

“However, no ownership documents were availed for audit review despite the fact that the institution has existed since 1957,” said Mr Wandayi.

“Further, information available indicate that part of the land measuring 4.579 hectares was being claimed by a private entity by the name Laporte Investment Ltd which also was in possession of a title deed dated December 31, 2002.”

He said it was not clear how the land was annexed from the main allotment. The report was adopted by the National Assembly on Thursday.

Legislators directed Social Protection PS Nelson Marwa to furnish the committee with the contact details for Laporte Investment and CRBC for further inquiry.