Kenya African National Union (KANU) has lost ownership of the land where the infamous Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) stands. The said piece of land belongs to the public according to a recent ruling by the Environment and Land Court.
Justice Jacqueline Mogeni revoked the title issued to KANU on May 25th,1989 claiming it was issued illegally and that the land belongs to the government of Kenya under the Ministry of Tourism.
“The allocation of the property to Kanu without following legal procedure is unlawful and illegal,” she said.
Mogeni wondered how the transfer of the land was handed over to the party and later under the chairman of the party. According to court documents, KANU failed to prove how the procedure was done.
In its defense to reclaim the land, KANU argued being allocated the land by the Commissioner of Lands on 10th,1969.
The Independence party filed a case in 2020 to reclaim ownership of KICC after being kicked out by an executive order on February 11, 2003.
“That the petitioner has an indefeasible title to land Reference Number 209/11157 as the registered owner under section 26 of the Land Registration Act, No. 3 of 2012 and it was unlawful for the 1st respondent (CS Lands) to purport to revoke the title without due process of the law,” Kanu argued.
The government opposed that there was no way the property which was built on public land meant for public purposes could be given to KANU.
The party says the property has been managed by different entities including government ministries since it was launched by the founding father Mzee Jomo Kenyatta on September 10. 1973.
In his affidavit, the party’s national executive officer George Wainaina revealed the Executive order never settled the ownership dispute.
The Kenya Kwanza government had listed KICC as one of the parastatals to be privatized.