The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is pursuing recovery of public land that has been illegally acquired in the Western Kenya region.
According to the Western Regional Manager Eric Ngumbi, a significant 25% of public land in the urban counties of Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma and Busia is in the hands of land grabbers.
He has, however, confirmed that the Anti-Corruption body is actively pursuing the recovery of these lands, which include government houses and prime properties worth billions of shillings.
Speaking on Thursday during a joint meeting involving all security and key government agencies chaired by the Western Regional Commissioner Irungu Macharia at the Mumias Cultural Centre in Kakamega County, Ngumbi said EACC, in the last one year has recovered government plots worth 320 million shillings, with the process still ongoing.
“We also recovered some prime plots in Kakamega’s Milimani estate, with two more to follow and we are now in the process of recovering land belonging to the official residence of Kakamega South Deputy County Commissioner (DCC),” he said.
Ngumbi said in Bungoma, EACC has recovered five properties that were irregularly acquired, with three more in the process of recovery, as well as initiating legal action against auctioneers involved in the controversial auctioning of Matili Polytechnic.
“In Busia, we have recovered Amoni market land that had already been subdivided into 153 plots earmarked for sale by a land grabber,” he added.
Ngumbi said EACC has unearthed a syndicate where some unscrupulous civil servants were abetting the grabbing of public land by intentionally absconding court cases, hence giving land grabbers leeway in winning the cases.
He warned that the government will rein in such officers.
The regional manager also warned that EACC will not allow county governments to negotiate with land grabbers for compensation, citing the Kibuye market in Kisumu town, in which the county intended to negotiate with an alleged grabber of public land.
Ngumbi said the Anti-Corruption body is actively focusing on public service delivery points to combat corruption.
“When a public officer receives a bribe to compromise a service, he is a threat to the national security of the nation,” he said.
He said already a number of arrests have been made, some including those working at the Kakamega County Referral Hospital and at the National Registration Bureau.
The Western Regional Commissioner, Irungu Macharia, who chaired the meeting, directed all National Government Administrative Officers and Police commanders to ensure corruption prevention committees are revitalised to curb the vice.
He told heads of government departments to identify corruption hotspots at service delivery points, where bribery cases occur.
He said the previous corruption perception index has ranked the ministry of Interior as where one is likely to encounter corruption, saying officers have a duty to change this perception.
The meeting brought together all regional security heads, County commissioners, Deputy County Commissioners and their security teams, as well as regional heads of EACC, National Authority Against Drug Abuse (NACADA), National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
By George Kaiga
