City Hall Corruption: Kidero Disregards Ombudsman Directive To Repossess Grabbed Land From Public In Eastleigh, Allows Grabbers To Continue

Governor Evans Kidero and Senator Mike Sonko. Both have steered away from the Eastleigh Land Grab, alleged to be having business links with Alfa Traders the dubious company that has grabbed the public land.

Land grabbing of public land has in the recent become too rampant with public amenities shrinking as the surge by private developers preying on land to develop intensifies. The latest victims of widespread grabbing happen to be the Eastleigh Market traders who had their land grabbed by private developers as they’re popularly referred to, in this case, they are not private but have real faces.

Alfa Traders the dubious company that snatched the land from the traders, the company’s directors as listed on documents are Ali Sheikh Mohamud, and Farah Mohamed Barrow who happen to be just proxies, the master and chief grabber is one Sheikh Khalifa who bankrolls. The Sheikh is also accused of grabbing Ministry of Agriculture land where he has built his Diamond Park Estate.

The Market Traders had logged a complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman to help solve the turbulence that has since seen the traders have their stalls destroyed as the developers took over the site. Even before the case was forwarded to the Ombudsman, National Lands Commission had nullified the fake lease that Alfa Traders were using and ordered for cessation and even withdrew their construction licence. However, all these were sideshows to allow to dupe the traders as Contractor was allowed to continue with their illegal construction.

Ironically, Kidero the County’s Governor at one point visited the site and even joined traders, he called off the construction and for a few days, the Alfa Traders stopped with their constructions but later on continued. This was just but a hoodwink to insinuate that the governor was against the illegal construction. Senator Sonko has played the exact cards as Kidero before on this land.

Kenya Insights has learnt that Sheikh Khalifa the financier and owner of Alfa Traders is a longtime friend of the governor dating back to their Mumias days, Sheikh Khalifa owns Diamond Wholesalers the biggest regional distributor of Mumias Sugar, they both co-own several properties in the city. It, therefore, doesn’t come as a surprise that Kidero is cushioning his friend.

Ombudsman report released on Monday recommended that Nairobi City County should issue a cessation notice to Mr Ali Sheikh Mohamud and Mr Farah Mohamed Barrow directing them to immediately stop construction and vacate the parcel of land, LR. No. 36/VII/1037.

City County Government should repossess and develop the parcel of land, LR. No. 36/VII/1037 into a modern market and give priority to the 403 traders or their successors.

In the event that the County Government is not able to develop the property, it should legally negotiate for a proper Public-Private Partnership contract that secures the interest of the County Government and the traders. CAJ should be involved in that process of PPP Agreement.

The Nairobi City County should compensate the Eastleigh Market traders at KSh. 150,000 each for the cost incurred in the construction of market stalls.

That Nelson Otido should not hold any public office for the reason that he unlawfully executed the lease documents in favour of Ali Sheikh Mohamud and Farah Mohamed Barrow.
The Governor should remove from office Isaac Nyoike, Chief Valuer, and Karisa Iha, Director, Legal Affairs for abuse of power and breach of public trust.

Alfa Traders continues with illegal construction at the public land despite Ombudsman directive that they don’t have rights to the land and County Government should repossess it

Five days later according to a ground survey done independently by Kenya Insights, the dubious contractors continues with the constructions undisturbed with no communication or a sound drop from the City Hall and more so governor’s office on the Ombudsman report.

Kidero has in the recent past in his gubernatorial renewal bid, been attempting to show the public to be fighting the corruption cartel that he attributes the City’s problems to. It, therefore, doesn’t make any sense to his course of the fighting cartel when the Ombudsman cut the work for him to stop the illegal construction, repossess the grabbed land and reward it back to the traders and also the officials that are collaborating with the land grabbers.

If the silence from Kidero’s office is anything to go by then his fight on the cartel is nothing but a swill, face-saving, too little too late trick. And only adding to strengthen allegations in the streets that he can’t squarely combat corruption and impunity while he’s their champion. Time will be the determinant if the governor will rise and stand up with the people who voted him and he will-will need their votes come 2017, or to sit back, play golf with his land grabbing friend Sheikh Khalifa and let him get away with a public land.

Kenya Insights is dedicated to following up this land issue to the end will keep asking questions until the time City HALL WILL RESPOND AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, REPOSSESS THE GRABBED LAND.