Kisumu – The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has successfully reclaimed public property valued at Sh410 million from a private developer in Kisumu. This recovery includes prime land and a storey building known as Sunshine Villas in the Dunga area of Kisumu.
According to Kenya News Agency, the land originally belonged to the county government of Kisumu and was designated as a wayleave for Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company (KIWASCO). The land plays a crucial role in the city’s water supply, as it houses significant pipelines drawing water from Lake Victoria to a nearby treatment plant. “These pipes are 20mm and were laid in the 1960s,” Kemboi stated, adding that the construction of the storey building and a perimeter wall over these pipes was hindering KIWASCO’s service delivery and expansion plans.
Kemboi further explained the safety concerns associated with the building’s location over the pipes, noting the potential risk of structure collapse in case of a spillage. The increase in population and subsequent demand for water in Kisumu necessitated the expansion of KIWASCO’s operations, but the presence of the building on the critical land impeded this.
The developer, Sunshine Villas, had previously filed a legal claim against the Kisumu county government in 2018, seeking ownership of the property and Sh250 million in damages. However, the Kisumu High Court, presided over by Judge Samson Okong’o, recently ruled that the disputed property was public land intended for public use.
Kemboi highlighted ongoing EACC investigations into several other cases in Kisumu and nearby counties involving over Sh8 billion worth of government land appropriations. These include lands belonging to the Kenya Prisons Service, Kenya Railways Corporation, and spaces reserved for public projects like industrial parks and markets.
The EACC’s efforts have previously led to the recovery of land intended for Kisumu Law Courts, Kenya Railways Land at Kisumu Pier, and Taifa Park. Kemboi warned government officials involved in illegal land allocations and approvals, stating the EACC’s intent to hold them accountable financially for such actions.
Kisumu City Manager Abala Wanga praised the EACC for their role in the recovery, emphasizing the end of impunity and collusion in land allocation in the city. Wanga disclosed that the county government is pursuing over 100 similar cases in Kisumu City and is preparing files for EACC’s intervention.