Tenants oppose KPA pension scheme plan to sell houses

Twenty three families living in houses owned by the Kenya Ports Authority Pension Scheme (KPAPS) have written to Parliament and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) seeking to stop the sale of the properties.

KPAPS is one of the private pension schemes operated by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).

The 23 tenants, who have an outstanding court order, are contesting the sale of the houses by the scheme's trustees to Siwaka estate in Nairobi.

Yesterday, KPA spokesman Benard Osero said although KPA is the source of the funds running the scheme, KPAPS was an independent body which had its own management.

But a former trustee, who asked not to be named, said those complaining about plans to sell the houses were tenants and not owners of the properties.

"Those living in the houses are KPA employees who were allocated the houses to occupy and have their house allowances deducted and paid to the scheme," he said, adding that traditionally, the houses are repossessed and allocated to other employees when current occupiers retire.

“The occupiers of these houses are just tenants by virtue of them being KPA employees and when they retire they cease being tenants,” he said.

The families want the Parliamentary Committee for Lands and Settlement and EACC to stop registered trustees of KPAPS from transferring management of its assets to real estate agents.