Kanu claims ownership of Sh2bn property

Kanu has claimed property worth Sh2 billion countrywide as part of its submission to the Registrar of Political Parties.

The property, Secretary General Nick Salat said include Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Tom Mboya Social Hall in Nairobi and 150 acres of land in Naivasha.

The Political Parties Act requires fully registered political parties to prepare and submit to the Registrar a written declaration giving details of all assets and expenditures within 60 days of registration.

Parties have until end of July to meet the requirement.

Political parties are also mandated by section 17 of the Act to continuously maintain records in their head office such as the members' register, party constitution, policies and plans, particulars on contributions, estimates of expenditures, particulars on properties and latest audited books and account.

On Tuesday, Mr Salat said Kanu’s National Executive Committee had appointed a team led by former MP Shadrack Manga to go round the country and compile a list of Kanu’s assets.

Mr Salat, Mr Manga, Kanu organising secretary Abdirahaman Bafadhil and NEC member Cecilia Ngendo said the party had issued a seven day notice to people residing in Kanu's property to vacate.

Reclaim assets

The officials visited a Kanu office in Kasarani as part of the exercise to reclaim Kanu's assets. The office which is still painted in the party colours and logo had been turned into a rental house but the officials did not get any resistance in reclaiming it.

"Accordingly, and in compliance to our Party Constitution and the Registrar's letter, seven days notice is hereby issued to any person within and around Kasarani plot number L.R. No. 29082 to vacate or risk eviction because they are trespassers," Mr Salat said.

Mr Salat and Mr Manga named KICC and Tom Mboya Social Hall as some of Kanu’s properties in Nairobi and that they would include them in list to the Registrar.

From Nairobi, they said, Mr Manga’s committee will move to Coast Province, followed by Central to reclaim the assets.

“We have properties countrywide. Some of them have leases which the head office is not aware of. We will also list KICC as property as it was just taken from us illegally. Some of our properties are being occupied by people we don’t know. Some cases are in court,” Mr Salat said, adding that Kanu's constitution now requires that all its properties be managed through his office.

Kanu’s assets, they said, were in the name of trustees but were now being transferred to Kanu Foundation.

Mr Manga said some of the Sh2 billion Kanu assets had been grabbed “but we will identify where they are and claim them".

Heydays

“We will not evict people without any reason. We have titles to some of the properties while in some others we only have allotment letters which we are going to legalise. We will also talk to those who were duped to buy the properties illegally,” Mr Manga said.

During its heydays Kanu had offices and properties countrywide and was difficult to differentiate them from government ones.

The 30-storey KICC was built between 1966-1973. It was funded by the government.

In 1989 its ownership was transferred to Kanu, then the only political party in Kenya. KICC was returned to the state in 2003, when Kanu was voted out of power.

On Wednesday, Mr Salat and Mr Manga insisted the magnificent building still belongs to Kanu.

On politics, Mr Salat said Kanu members were unhappy with the move by former chairman Uhuru Kenyatta to decamp to The National Alliance but were determined to soldier on in rebuilding the party.

They said the independence party will field candidates in all elective posts including the presidency in the next General Election.

Mr Salat said four candidates had expressed interest to vie for the presidency on a Kanu ticket, but did not name them.