MPs summon Gideon Moi over missing title deeds for Ksh.1.08B Rift Valley land

Members of the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education raised questions as to why the board of trustees have only given 200 acres, valued at Ksh.1.08 billion, to the school despite a change in law in 2014 requiring that the board of trustees should hand over school land.

The committee chaired by Bumula MP Wamboka Wanami has now summoned former Baringo Senator Gideon Moi who chairs the board of trustees to explain the anomaly.

The land was awarded to the institution in 1972 by the late President Daniel Moi after members of the public bought it and was surrendered to the board of trustees to hold it in trust.

“The whole issue is illegal. The late Moi if he wanted to give land to anyone, he should have given his own land. All lands belonging to public institutions must belong there. This is why we are summoning Gideon Moi to come here and explain this matter,” said Wamboka.

In the efforts to return the public land to the school, Wamboka said they will be visiting the school to enquire on why the land has not been handed back to the school as per the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Act of 2014.

Speaking during a committee meeting with the school management led by their principal Sammy Chemoiwa on audit queries.

“We will have a meeting at the school. We are coming to your institution in two weeks times and our intention is to return the land to the public and we will do it whether the institution likes it or not,” he said.

Chemoiwa admitted that they don’t have ownership of the land, although he was not sure if the school could manage the whole land if given ownership.

“Yes it is true that we do not own the titles of the land. However my honest opinion is that if all the land were to be given back to the institution I would prefer it to be managed by someone else because even if I manage it, its sustainability is not possible,” he told the committee.

However the answer drew anger from Members who accused the principal of being in bed with the trustees in defrauding members of the community of their land.

“Mr Principle it is very clear that you are very conflicted. We can read the signs. But we would like to tell you whether if you feel you cannot manage the land then we can get someone else to do this job. Just wait and see,” Wamboka said.