Prime Minister Raila Odinga has insinuated several times that Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta is a land grabber. This has put the issue of land to the forefront of 2013 elections campaigns. I must comment on it from a sober and objective mindset.
Let’s now go ahead and look at both Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta in terms of their direct and/or indirect involvement in land-grabbing.
INDIRECT INVOLVEMENT
Indirect involvement means that one is a beneficiary of land grabbing i.e. inheriting alleged grabbed pieces of land from your father/parents.
Uhuru Kenyatta
it has been alleged that Uhuru Kenyatta inherited large pieces of land that were allegedly grabbed by his late father, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. The land grabber therefore is not Uhuru Kenyatta but the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta (according to these allegations). The pieces of land are allegedly located in Nairobi, Central and Coast provinces.
Raila Odinga
It has been alleged that Raila Odinga inherited large pieces of fertile land that were allegedly grabbed by his late father, Mzee Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. The land grabber therefore is not Raila Odinga but the late Mzee Jaramogi Oginga Odingaa (according to these allegations). The pieces of land are allegedly located in Kisumu, Muhoroni and Chemelil areas, also known as Nyanza Sugar Belt.DIRECT INVOLVEMENT
INDIRECT INVOLVEMENT
Indirect involvement means that one is a beneficiary of land grabbing i.e. inheriting alleged grabbed pieces of land from your father/parents.
Uhuru Kenyatta
it has been alleged that Uhuru Kenyatta inherited large pieces of land that were allegedly grabbed by his late father, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. The land grabber therefore is not Uhuru Kenyatta but the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta (according to these allegations). The pieces of land are allegedly located in Nairobi, Central and Coast provinces.
Raila Odinga
It has been alleged that Raila Odinga inherited large pieces of fertile land that were allegedly grabbed by his late father, Mzee Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. The land grabber therefore is not Raila Odinga but the late Mzee Jaramogi Oginga Odingaa (according to these allegations). The pieces of land are allegedly located in Kisumu, Muhoroni and Chemelil areas, also known as Nyanza Sugar Belt.DIRECT INVOLVEMENT
Direct involvement means that one is alleged to have been directly involved in land grabbing.Uhuru Kenyatta
There are no allegations that Uhuru Kenyatta was ever DIRECTLY involved in land grabbing. Every allegation about land grabbing relating to Uhuru's person is always about what his father allegedly grabbed & never what Uhuru Kenyatta himself grabbed.
Raila Odinga
Raila Odinga allegedly thieved 240 acres of prime land (where Kisumu molasses plant is situated) for Sh. 3.6 Million. To put things in perspective, Sh. 3.6 Million cannot get you even 1 acre piece of land in that same area where Raila allegedly grabbed his massive piece of land, near Kisumu International Airport. The land in question is so valuable and massive it spreads to the shores of Lake Victoria.
Former Commissioner of Lands Sammy Mwaita offered to sell the 240 acres on which the Kisumu Molasses Plant is built to Spectre International on January 11, 2001 at a price of Kshs 3.6 million at a time when Odinga started working closely with Moi. By June of the same year, Raila was appointed to the Cabinet and made Energy Minister.
Titles were prepared in favour of Spectre International on February 3, 2002 for a 99-year lease backdated to September 1, 2001 and the Odinga family was ready to laugh all the way to the bank.
Soon after taking over the plant from the government, Raila struck a lucrative deal with Energem whereby the Canadian firm bought 55 per cent of the Kisumu Molasses plant. Sources say that the Odinga family was paid over US$ 5 million (about Kshs 420 million) to relinquish the control of the molasses plant. The Odinga family had paid only Kshs 3.6 million for the property.
Titles were prepared in favour of Spectre International on February 3, 2002 for a 99-year lease backdated to September 1, 2001 and the Odinga family was ready to laugh all the way to the bank.
Soon after taking over the plant from the government, Raila struck a lucrative deal with Energem whereby the Canadian firm bought 55 per cent of the Kisumu Molasses plant. Sources say that the Odinga family was paid over US$ 5 million (about Kshs 420 million) to relinquish the control of the molasses plant. The Odinga family had paid only Kshs 3.6 million for the property.
How could 240 acres of land together with machinery be sold for Sh3.6 million?The land in question is located in prime /valuable area of Kisumu where ½ acre plot go for Sh 2 million , Raila paid only Sh 15,000 per acre for this land!
CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATES: TRUE VALUE OF THE GRABBED LAND
The going market rate of similar pieces of land in the same location as the Kisumu Molasses Plant was (conservatively) sh. 2 Million per acre. (This was the going market rate in 2000/2001-- today, an acre costs sh. 4-5 Million there.)
The true conservative value of the piece of land should have been 480 Million (240*2,000,000 =480 Million.
Raila should have paid 4% stamp duty like any other Kenyan does when purchasing immovable assets.
Expected Tax Revenue: 4%*480M=19.2 Million!
Therefore by allegedly executing this scam, Raila denied the KRA at least sh. 19.2 Million in Tax Revenue.
So who between Raila and Uhuru is a real land grabber?
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