[Source: The Standard, by Kamau Maichuhie]
Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) could lose a Sh2.2 billion German-funded project unless a last-minute intervention in a protracted land dispute is made.
German Development Cooperation, which is funding the project, had initially given KIST until June 1 to secure a title deed for the land on which the project is to be constructed.
The German firm, however, extended the deadline to September 1 but the management of the college is frustrated that the Kenyan government has not resolved the dispute it blames on “powerful forces”.
At stake now is the massive investment in infrastructure to benefit 5,000 students, which has been identified as a centre of excellence for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
KIST Board of Governors (BoG) chairman Josiah Kariu yesterday confirmed the land is yet to be reverted to the institute just a few days to the September 1 deadline.
KIST, Nairobi Technical Training Institute and Thika Technical Training Institute were identified to have their technical capacity upgraded by the German government under the Kenya German Technical Industrial Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TIVET).
One of the conditions to benefit from the German project was that the title deed should be in the institute’s name.
Founded in 1971 in Kiambi town, KIST sits on 200 acres bought through fund-raisers. Currently, the land has been sub-divided into 10 parcels.
Last year, following reports that The Registered Trustees of KIST had taken over the college assets, including land, BoG responded through a letter dated November 9, 2018, demanding that the trustees should transfer the land back to the institute with immediate effect.
The board also demanded the trustees vacate the premises they are currently occupying as their offices at the institute.
The AG on October 19, 2018, in a legal opinion, advised that the governance structure of the institute be aligned with the governance structure of a public institute as provided under the TVET Act, 2013.
The AG advised the BoG to take up the necessary steps to vest the property to the institute subject to the guidance of the National Treasury.
However, despite the legal opinion by the AG, the institute is yet to get the land back.
[Full article: The Standard, by Kamau Maichuhie]
