Wakuu,
hio ya elimu ni skendo ya kwanza. Ya pili inahusiana na ardhi ilionyakuliwa
na mabwanyenye kama kina Moi na familia zao. Mashamba waliyaiba na
sasa eti lazima serikali iwape fidia...for what? Hapa uanajua wazi Kibaki
anakula sahani moja na hawa watu.
Huge payout for Mau big shots
By MURITHI MUTIGA
In Summary
- Senior government official confirms that Sh2 billion will be paid out in compensation to political heavyweights who acquired land in the Mau Complex
Political heavyweights who were allocated thousands of hectares of forestland are set to receive up to Sh2 billion in compensation, the
Sunday Nation can reveal.
The big shots, who were the main beneficiaries of the excision of the Mau forest complex, will be paid for their vast holdings in the forest because they have title deeds proving ownership.
The payouts are likely to be controversial because most of the big shots who own land in the Mau are well connected Moi-era politicians and civil servants who used their offices to acquire the land irregularly, according to the Ndungú Commission of Inquiry.
Former Kabete MP Paul Muite described the payment plan as an outrage.
One day when power is in the hands of reformers, those who are paying and those who are receiving will have to refund the money to ordinary Kenyans.
Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission board member Billow Kerrow said the proposed compensation package would set a bad precedent.
The trend emerging is that it has become a reality in this country that big time corruption is no longer deemed to be social injustice. You will be punished for small-time corruption but when you are in the big league, you are sure you will get away with it, said Mr Kerrow.
A valuation report prepared for the government by the United Nations Environment Programme places the value of the land for which it could find titles at Sh1.5 billion.
That figure excludes the value of buildings constructed on the land, which could push the value much higher. It also does not take into account the value of land holdings registered in the names of companies whose files cannot be traced at the registry.
A senior government official, who declined to speak on the record on the matter because an official statement will only be released after the Cabinet meets this week, confirmed the government would pay all those with titles.
Among those named as beneficiaries of the allocations is former President Moi who is associated with the extensive Kiptagich tea estate in the Mau.
The value of the land, including tea bushes, is placed at between Sh150,000 and Sh300,000 per acre. If the compensation plan goes ahead, he will receive up to Sh760 million.
Three companies associated with Mr Mois former personal assistant Joshua Kulei, Sian Enterprises, Chemusiam Farm and Chemusian Tea Estate Ltd, are set to receive over Sh313 million.
Other beneficiaries named in the report are Cabinet minister Franklin Bett, who is listed together with two others as owning holdings worth Sh151 million.
Former Baringo District Kanu official Hosea Kiplagat is in line to receive Sh184 million while former Internal Security Permanent Secretary Zakayo Cheruiyots land is valued at Sh40 million.
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/-/1064/827424/-/wtk8mbz/-/index.html