MACHAKOS Senator Johnstone Muthama was yesterday questioned by the police in a fresh probe of the Sh1billion purchase of Malili ranch where the government plans to build the Konza ICT city.
Former Information permanent secretary, Dr Bitange Ndemo, and Lands commissioner Zablon Mabeya have also been questioned by the police over the controversial purchase of the 5,000 acre group ranch.
Law Society of Kenya chairman Eric Mutua, whose law firm was involved in the disbursement of funds to former Malili Ranch shareholders, has also recorded a statement.
In May, 66 former shareholders complained to the CID that they had not received their money even after the government had taken possession of Malili.
Yesterday, Muthama appeared before Nairobi CID chief Nicholas Kamwende. He left after a brief session and is expected to return next week to record his statement.
Police sources said some directors of the Malili Ranch claimed that they had been detained in police cells to coerce them to sell seven acre parcels for Sh1,400,000 instead of the Sh10.92 million that the government was allegedly offering. "I will be there on Monday to state what role I played," Muthama said yesterday as he was leaving the CID offices. "I have nothing to fear because I am not a criminal. Only criminals should fear," Muthama said.
The investigation is expected to focus on how the Information ministry purchased the land even though the Lands ministry which said it had encumbrances.
The whole transaction to purchase the ranch was for Sh1 billion and the investigation also wants to establish why the Lands ministry paid an initial deposit of Sh400 million, more than the normal 10 per cent deposit.
The investigation will also look at how the Lands ministry consolidated land belonging to individual shareholders to form the 5,000 acres purchased by the Ministry of Information purchased.
Construction of the Konza Techno City is estimated to cost Sh1.2 trillion and will start in December. Funding will come the private sector and the World Bank.
Marketed as the 'Silicon Savanna', Konza technopolis will host business process outsourcing, a science park, a convention centre, shopping malls, hotels, international schools, and health facilities. It is a key driver of Vision 2030 development programme.
President Mwai Kibaki broke the ground on January 23. The concept master plan was prepared by a UK design consultancy and was funded by the International Finance Corporation. The project brief was originally for a technology park of 700 acres.
However, during the feasibility study, the consultant proposed a city, Konza Technopolis, to create a new world class city, powered by a thriving IT sector is projected to generate 100,000 jobs by 2030.
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