Committee on demolitions concludes sittings

Written By:George Kithuka,    Posted: Fri, Dec 02, 2011

The house team will table its report next Wednesday The parliamentary joint committee probing the Syokimau demolitions has wound up its hearings. The committee Friday met ministers James Orengo (Lands), George Saitoti (Internal Security), Amos Kimunya (Trade) of trade and Musalia Mudavadi (Local Government) to shed more light into the controversial demolitions. The final session was however held in camera. Committee chairman Mutava Musyimi further assured the public that the information gathered during the private session requested due to the sensitivity of the matter was of essence and his team will endeavor to table its report on the floor of the house Wednesday next week. The team was constituted two weeks ago to probe the demolitions.  Officials from Mavoko and Nairobi councils,  victims of the demolitions, the Attorney General's office and the Commissioner of Lands among others have testified before the Musyimi committee. Hundreds of residents in Syokimau settlement, Mitumba slums and Eastleigh were rendered homeless when government bulldozers brought down property worth millions of shillings allegedly put up on illegally acquired land. Meanwhile, the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has faulted the government for failing to judiciously adjudicate land ownership. In a statement NNCK Secretary General Rev Canon Peter Karanja called on the government to compensate the victims. He said "we state here that the government bears full responsibility and we urge the Parliamentary Committee investigating the demolitions to advice that the government fully compensates all the innocent victims of its ineptitude and corruption" .