Kenya Railways Corporation has strongly refuted claims made by Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and NARC Kenya leader Martha Karua regarding alleged land grabbing and illegal evictions at a parcel of land located on Valley Road, Nairobi.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Kenya Railways Managing Director Phillip Mainga dismissed the accusations, asserting that the land in question legally belongs to the corporation. Mainga further clarified that the matter is currently under judicial review and urged all concerned parties to allow the court process to take its due course.
“We wish to clarify that the allegations made during the press statement are misleading. The land in question is the property of Kenya Railways, and we are not privy to any sale transaction,” Mainga stated.
The controversy arose following a meeting between Kalonzo, Karua, and the Association of Kenya Railways Retirees (AKERARE) on Friday. During the meeting, Kalonzo alleged that elderly retirees were unfairly evicted from the property without receiving their rightful pensions.
“Kenya Railways, under a Cabinet memo, had vested the land in their retirement scheme. It has now come to their shocking attention that a person high up in government, known for grabbing public land, is at it again,” Kalonzo alleged.
He further accused the government of forcibly removing pensioners from their homes, leaving them without compensation. “They have chased the poor pensioners out of their property, and now the land is under police protection as a private developer demolishes their houses,” he added.
Martha Karua echoed these concerns, claiming that the land had already been sold to a high-profile Kenyan for Sh400 million, with Sh320 million allegedly already paid. “Although the name of the title changed, the beneficial owners remain the retirees. This land is not available for government acquisition or any land grabber because it has rightful owners,” she asserted.
Kalonzo and Karua have called for the immediate return of the land to its rightful owners and urged the government to protect retirees from unjust displacement. They have also demanded action against individuals involved in alleged land-grabbing schemes.
As the dispute continues, all eyes remain on the courts, which are expected to give a legal resolution to the contentious land ownership battle.
