Sunday, Dec 12, 2004
Kenya re-taking land looted by leaders
By Rory Carroll
JOHANNESBURG, DEC. 11. Kenya has started to repossess millions of hectares of land illegally seized by the former President, Daniel Arap Moi, and his cronies during his 24-year rule, the Government said yesterday.
Mr. Moi had returned two beach plots he held in Mombasa and signalled a willingness to return other properties in what was billed as an ambitious bid to redress the corruption of his regime and that of predecessor, Jomo Kenyatta.
At least 60 others reportedly returned title deeds for land acquired irregularly.
An official report published yesterday depicted a vast, kleptocratic looting of land for political patronage which damaged the economy and stoked ethnic tension in the east African state.
'Abuse of discretion'
"The powers vested in the President to make grants of government land have been grossly abused over the years both by the President and successive commissioners of lands and their deputies," the report claimed. "A substantial amount of public land has been unjustly allocated to individuals and companies. This practice has in turn cost the country dearly in economic, social and political terms. The abuse of discretion in this regard occurred during both the regimes of former presidents Kenyatta and Moi."
The report marked an attempt to reform property rights and galvanise an anti-corruption drive which critics say is faltering two years after President Mwai Kibaki ousted Mr. Moi and his Kanu party. The report named churches, schools, banks and institutions that allegedly occupy land dished out by the former ruling party in an illegal method of rewarding ethnic and political allies with reserves, forests, parks, government houses, cemeteries, military and trust lands.
"This is just the tip of the iceberg. The problem of land in this country is bigger than anybody can imagine," said Paul Ndungu, chairman of the commission. Since independence from Britain in 1963, Kenya became known as one of Africa's most corrupt nations, a notoriety which deepened during the 80s and 90s when Mr. Moi's regime was suspected of stealing billions from the exchequer.
'Sweeping away misrule'
Some analysts say the former colonial power started the rot by grabbing the best land while it ruled Kenya and then selling it to carpet-bagging wealthy natives while handing over power.
The defeat of Mr. Moi's party in 2002 elections ignited exuberant expectations that President Kibaki's National Rainbow Coalition would sweep away four decades of misrule. But the coalition, plagued by in-fighting and wrangling over reform, has had its credibility dented by accusations of emulating its predecessor's sins. The Attorney-General, Amos Wako, and the assistant Foreign Minister, Moses Wetangula, have returned land which they said was bought in good faith but turned out to have been illegally seized. The British High Commissioner caused a diplomatic spat earlier this year with withering criticism of the administration's anti-corruption drive.
The Government presented report as a bold assault on corruption, which was set to intensify.The Lands and Housing Minister, Amos Kimunya, said some of the illegal titles would be revoked immediately and that land laws would be amended by March next year to pave the way for a land title tribunal to deal with complaints. The report also accused a senior politician from the former ruling party, Nicholas Biwott of allegedly acquiring large tracts of forest land in 1994. The stated objective was to build schools but the real aim was "to benefit individuals", the report alleged.
- Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004
Copyright © 2004, The Hindu.