Government seeks to reclaim land on which Pastor Ng’ang’a, Bishop Wanjiru churches sit on
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Government through EACC set to reclaim public land on which Pastor Ng'ang'a, Bishop Wanjiru churches are built on
Government through EACC set to reclaim public land on which Pastor Ng’ang’a, Bishop Wanjiru churches are built on.
This comes after Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) filed a legal action to reclaim land parcels originally designated for the Kenya Railways Corporation.
The commission has filed several cases in Nairobi’s Environment and Land Court against private entities and former Land Commissioners accused of engaging in questionable real estate transactions.
The EACC is leading the lawsuits, which seek to recover five parcels of land at the intersection of Haile Selassie Avenue and Uhuru Highway.
On Wednesday, there was drama in Nairobi after Bishop Margaret Wanjiru’s church was demolished by unknown people.
The former Nairobi gubernatorial candidate cried betrayal by the regime, having been a big supporter of President Ruto and UDA in the last general election.
“I wasn’t campaigning to be repaid like this. Sadly, this is the government that we campaigned for. I am yet to believe that they can do this to me. I am the one who sold UDA in Nairobi,” she told reporters.
Hers is not the only church alleged to be built on Railway lands. Another famous pastor, James Ng’ang’a, may soon be on the chopping board as the government seeks to redevelop the entire area.
Pastor Ng’ang’a has also been fighting an eviction notice from Railways for several years.
In 2020, he received a letter stating, “You are hereby requested to surrender all documents relating to the irregular allocation of the above-referenced property to the corporation.
“Historical records in our possession indicate that the land bound by Haile Selassie Avenue, Uhuru Highway and Bunyala Road in which various railway infrastructure are contained was reserved for railway use.
“It has, however, been established that new grants on portions of the land were issued by the Commissioner of Lands in around 1994 without the consent of the corporation.”
The parcels, LR. Nos. 209/12492, 209/9640, 209/12361, 209/9641, and 209/12133, were originally intended for use by the Kenya Railways Corporation but are now owned by private individuals.
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Court papers revealed list the plots and their owners as follows:
1. ELC Case No. E182/2023: LR. No 209/12492, currently owned by Arts 680 Limited.
2. ELC Case No. E151/2023: LR. No. 209/9640, owned by Neno Evangelism Center Registered Trustees.
3. ELC Case No. E216/2023: LR. No. 209/12361, belonging to James Maina Nganga.
4. ELC Case No. E079/2024: LR. No. 209/9641 and LR. No. 209/12133, both owned by Kobil Petroleum Limited (Rubis Energy).
According to reports, the Kenya Railways Corporation surrendered LR. Nos. 209/12492, 209/9640, and 209/9641 in the 1950s and 1960s for public projects such as government building and road infrastructure.
LR. No. 209/12361 was part of a road junction intended to improve traffic safety and visibility.
On the other hand, the LR. No. 209/12133, which was originally a public road reserve, housed a public amenity—a Nairobi City Council-owned toilet.
The EACC’s legal proceedings address complex issues. For example, in EACC v. Japheth Kimutai Chepkeres & 4 Others (ELC Case No. E182/2023), the commission seeks to reclaim LR. No. 209/12492 from Arts 680 Limited.
This case, which is consolidated with Arts 680 Limited’s lawsuit against Kenya Railways Corporation, involves compensation and profit claims that date back to 1994.
Similarly, in ELC Case No. E079/2024, EACC v Lima Limited & 5 Others, the commission is pursuing LR Nos. 209/9641 and 209/12133, claiming compensation and mesne profits totaling Kshs. 1.6 billion.
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