The National Land Commission has denied reports of a meeting to decide the ownership of the land on which Weston Hotel in Nairobi County stands.
Communication Director Khalid Salim regretted on Friday that the media has carried “misleading stories”.
The commission noted that its last meeting on the matter, which involved all affected parties, took place in October.
The parties made their submissions, which he said were under review, the goal being to reach a conclusion before the expiry of the commissioners’ term in February 2019.
Controversy has surrounded the the establishment, reports indicating that rogue Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) officials may have colluded with those in the Lands ministry to give a private entity the land in Lang’ata on which it stands..
The authority is now fighting to repossess the property, which measures about two acres. It says some of its staff facilitated its illegal transfer to third parties.
KCAA’s Legal Services Manager and Corporation Secretary, Mr Cyril Wanyong’o, told the NLC in November that the authority’s management and board never transferred the ownership of the land to any entity or individual.
Until 2002, the property hosted a store belonging to the Directorate of Civil Aviation (DCA).
At the time, Mr Ruto’s lawyer, Mr Ahmednasir Abdullahi, argued that his client had followed due process in acquiring the property.
As at August this year, records of the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) showed the application for the extension and alteration of Dolphin Hotel, that is allegedly encroaching on sea land, was filed by Weston Hotel Limited.
At the time, Mombasa Lands Executive Edward Nyale said the county government gave the hotel a go-ahead after it opened beach access roads.
[Article source: Daily Nation]
