CARRY
YOUR OWN CROSS: Labour Cabinet Secretary Kambi Kazungu during a press
conference in his office yesterday. Photo/Philip Kamakya
CONTROVERSIAL
Labour Cabinet secretary Kazungu Kambi came out all barrels blazing
yesterday and demanded that Siaya Senator James Orengo should be jailed
over the alleged Lamu land scandal.
But even as he made the sensational claim, Cord MPs said President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto have no moral authority to accuse anyone of land grabbing.
Cord Leader of Minority Francis Nyenze and a group of 20 MPs told Uhuru and Ruto that they have no constitutional authority on land cases and advised that they stop interfering with the functions of a constitutional entity, the National Lands Commission.
But even as they defended Orengo, Kambi told reporters in his Nairobi office that Orengo, the immediate former minister for Lands, should carry his own cross in relation to the alleged illegalities he perpetrated while at Ardhi House.
“Beba msalaba yako, kama ni jela nitakuletea magazeti (Carry your own cross, if you end up in jail, I will bring you the newspapers daily)”, Kambi taunted Orengo.
On Monday Orengo had himself told reporters that he had revoked the title deeds of land Kambi had acquired illegally in Lamu.
"My conscience is clear and i have nothing to hide. I doubt if Orengo can say the same of himself. Let him address the question marks surrounding his tenure and the illegal allocations that went on smoothly – beginning with Lamu," Kambi added.
On Monday, Orengo said Kambi and Ruto were part of the groups of influential politicians affected when he revoked over 1,000 title deeds.
“I revoked those titles. The DP’s name is here, and that of Kazungu, among other powerful individuals owning public land of high value and now talking in loud voices,” Orengo said.
Kambi however claimed that if Orengo had the power to revoke over 1,000 titles, then he also had the power to allocate the 500,000 acres in Lamu.
“What happened in Lamu was a very clear and well-planned scheme to make money through dubious allocations. These would then be sold back to the Government for a quick buck. There are no cartels fighting Orengo. It is his shoddy deals when he was at the ministry of Lands that keep haunting him,” Kambi declared.
Kambi said that he legitimately acquired the title for the 10 acres piece of land that Orengo referred to, but clarified that the matter is still pending in court.
Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu has hinted that Orengo, former PS Dorothy Angote as well as former commissioner for Lands Zablon Mabea are being investigated.
Yesterday, Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko directed the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, as well as the Criminal Investigations Department, to conduct joint investigations into the the land allocation scam.
The directive was issued as the National Land Commission said that Kenyans who own genuine titles for legally acquired land need not panic, as the commission intensifies a massive purge of dubious land ownership countrywide.
National Land Commission chairman Mohammed Swazuri told the Star that the NLC has neither the intention of harassing legitimate landowners nor plans to interfere with any legitimately acquired land in any part of the country.
He clarified that the countrywide cleanup of titles, including investigations of allocation of land in Lamu, will only target illegally acquired parcels.
“We have started investigations, if we find that allocations were done legally, the procedures have been given, if we find that the property was acquired irregularly, the procedure will be the same,” Swazuri said.
According to Swazuri, the commission has already received half of the files of the 22 companies linked to the acquisition of the 500,000 acres in Lamu.
Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma questioned Ngilu’s commitment in implementing land reforms, saying that her past record at the ministry of Water is tainted.
But even as he made the sensational claim, Cord MPs said President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto have no moral authority to accuse anyone of land grabbing.
Cord Leader of Minority Francis Nyenze and a group of 20 MPs told Uhuru and Ruto that they have no constitutional authority on land cases and advised that they stop interfering with the functions of a constitutional entity, the National Lands Commission.
But even as they defended Orengo, Kambi told reporters in his Nairobi office that Orengo, the immediate former minister for Lands, should carry his own cross in relation to the alleged illegalities he perpetrated while at Ardhi House.
“Beba msalaba yako, kama ni jela nitakuletea magazeti (Carry your own cross, if you end up in jail, I will bring you the newspapers daily)”, Kambi taunted Orengo.
On Monday Orengo had himself told reporters that he had revoked the title deeds of land Kambi had acquired illegally in Lamu.
"My conscience is clear and i have nothing to hide. I doubt if Orengo can say the same of himself. Let him address the question marks surrounding his tenure and the illegal allocations that went on smoothly – beginning with Lamu," Kambi added.
On Monday, Orengo said Kambi and Ruto were part of the groups of influential politicians affected when he revoked over 1,000 title deeds.
“I revoked those titles. The DP’s name is here, and that of Kazungu, among other powerful individuals owning public land of high value and now talking in loud voices,” Orengo said.
Kambi however claimed that if Orengo had the power to revoke over 1,000 titles, then he also had the power to allocate the 500,000 acres in Lamu.
“What happened in Lamu was a very clear and well-planned scheme to make money through dubious allocations. These would then be sold back to the Government for a quick buck. There are no cartels fighting Orengo. It is his shoddy deals when he was at the ministry of Lands that keep haunting him,” Kambi declared.
Kambi said that he legitimately acquired the title for the 10 acres piece of land that Orengo referred to, but clarified that the matter is still pending in court.
Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu has hinted that Orengo, former PS Dorothy Angote as well as former commissioner for Lands Zablon Mabea are being investigated.
Yesterday, Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko directed the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, as well as the Criminal Investigations Department, to conduct joint investigations into the the land allocation scam.
The directive was issued as the National Land Commission said that Kenyans who own genuine titles for legally acquired land need not panic, as the commission intensifies a massive purge of dubious land ownership countrywide.
National Land Commission chairman Mohammed Swazuri told the Star that the NLC has neither the intention of harassing legitimate landowners nor plans to interfere with any legitimately acquired land in any part of the country.
He clarified that the countrywide cleanup of titles, including investigations of allocation of land in Lamu, will only target illegally acquired parcels.
“We have started investigations, if we find that allocations were done legally, the procedures have been given, if we find that the property was acquired irregularly, the procedure will be the same,” Swazuri said.
According to Swazuri, the commission has already received half of the files of the 22 companies linked to the acquisition of the 500,000 acres in Lamu.
Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma questioned Ngilu’s commitment in implementing land reforms, saying that her past record at the ministry of Water is tainted.
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