The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has recovered numerous public land within Eldoret town that had been grabbed by private individuals.
EACC deputy director in charge of the North Rift Region Japheth Baithalu says the recovered properties are valued jointly at Ksh1.15 billion.
Speaking in Eldoret, the EACC deputy director says title deeds that private individuals were holding for the said plots, sitting in prime areas within the Eldoret town center have already been canceled and handed over to the Treasury.
Among the recovered public land include the one housing the Uasin Gishu District Hospital, opposite Zion Mall as well as the Eldoret Police station land.
The two parcels of land hosting two key public institutions had their title deeds on an individual’s name.
A plot hosting the Uasin Gishu County Assembly building also had a title deed written on an individuals.
But following the recovery of the plot, it has since been returned to the ownership of the county assembly and construction of a modern facility is already ongoing.
The plot is located next to the central police station in Eldoret town, along the busy Uganda Road.
“Part of the hospital land and police station had been hived off and grabbed by individuals but the parcels have been surrendered and their titles are in custody of the Treasury,” said Baithalu.
“These are key facilities right at the center of the town – had they remained grabbed, it would have affected a lot of activities in the county. Right now the hospital and police have access,” he added.
Ksh1.9b Maize scandal
Aside from recovering grabbed land, EACC says it has managed to secure court orders allowing them to freeze multiple accounts of individuals linked to graft within the North Rift region.
Baithalu also revealed that there are several ongoing graft-related cases, with more individuals likely to be arraigned in court within the next few days, as the commission enhances fight against graft.
Among the multiple graft cases that are still active in court is the infamous 2018 maize scandal.
This is one of the major scams that has had far reaching effects on the Agriculture sector where a number of powerful individuals are said to have imported cheap maize from neighboring countries and later sold them to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) while posing as farmers.
Following the Ksh1.9 billion scam, payment to a number of farmers that had supplied their produce to NCPB was stopped pending hearing and determination of the case.
“We have taken people to court. We have about 80 witnesses in this NCPB case,” said the EACC deputy director.
