From left PNU candidate Yusuf Hassan, ODM’s Ibrahim Ahmed and Narc-Kenya’s Brian Weke. Photo/FILE
By CASPER WAITHAKA cwaithaka@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Wednesday, August 10 2011 at 22:00
Posted Wednesday, August 10 2011 at 22:00
Land grabbing took centre stage in Kamukunji constituency Wednesday as campaigns intensified for the August 18 by-election.
The vice has seen hundreds of acres of public land being grabbed and developed by individuals in the constituency.
On Wednesday, all the aspiring MPs vowed to fight the vice if elected.
PNU candidate Yusuf Hassan said land grabbing is criminal and should not be condoned.
“This is a Kenyan phenomenon where speculators benefit at the expense of the ordinary people,” he said.
List of properties
ODM candidate Ibrahim Ahmed said: “Land grabbers are criminals who I will ensure are dealt with. We shall audit all public properties and then liaise with the council and government on how to recover grabbed land.”
Veteran lawyer Mwaure Waihiga said if elected, his first stops would be the anti-corruption commission, the lands ministry and the courts to seek legal redress.
“I already have a list of the grabbed properties which we will fight tooth and nail to return to the public,” the Agano party chairman said.
Narc-Kenya candidate Brian Weke has been the most vocal on this subject and has been telling people he was the best person to reclaim the properties.
“These injustices were done under our noses when I could not do anything as a jobless youth. Now is the time to get them back,” he declared.
Tenant and landlord wrangles are very common in the area, especially in government or council owned houses.
A resident, Ms Mary Achieng, said most people do not pay rent for the houses they live in.
“The person who is elected MP should resolve this issue once and for all,” she said.
Meanwhile, one person was injured and three cars damaged as election violence flared in Kamukunji.
Three incidents were reported on Monday evening.
A supporter of Mr Hassan was injured on Juja road when a campaign vehicle they were using was pelted with stones.
The incident was reported at Pangani police station.
The other incidents were at Shauri Moyo and Gikomba where a campaign vehicle belonging to the ODM candidate was also pelted with stones.
Mr Weke, who has pitched camp in Muthurwa and Dallas, vowed to revive a boxing facility in the estate that natured Olympic medallist Robert Wangila, among others.
Mr Weke condemned the violence, saying previous elections had been peaceful.
He said he wondered who was fuelling it.
He said he was confident his door-to-door campaigns would carry the day for him and listening to the needs of the people first hand had inspired him to fight harder to win the seat.
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