Attorney General Githu Muigai denies role in transfer of prime city plot

Attorney General Githu Muigai has refuted claims that he controversially cleared the transfer of ownership of a public plot to a private firm in Nairobi that is selling the property for Sh1 billion.

In a statement, the AG denied he misled the Ministry of Lands on the transfer of prime public land belonging to the Ministry of Immigration (National Council for Population and Development) to a private firm, Rosestar Properties, that is currently in the process of selling it for Sh1.1 billion.

"The State Law Office also bears clarification that by the time these proceedings were taking place, the current Attorney General Prof Githu Muigai was not in the office," a statement from the AG's office reads.

Githu has also written separately to Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu seeking a clarification on the statement she made before MPs on Tuesday linking his office to the land deal.

MISLEADING REPORTS

In a letter dated November 4, the AG says the reports, which have already been carried in the media, were misleading and highly damaging to his integrity and that of the State Law Office.

He clarified that the Registrar of Titles had in Gazette Notice No 3460 of April 1, 2010, purported to cancel by way of revocation 33 titles to lands enumerated in the said gazette notice, including parcel numbers L R 209/12184 and L R 209/13332.

One of the affected owners, Sound Equipment Limited, then moved to court via Nairobi High Court Petition Number 106 of 2010, challenging the decision of the Registrar to revoke titles through a gazette notice.

Although Rosestar's listed directors are Jignes Patel and Aaron Omeke, Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo says he has evidence to prove that the actual owners are powerful individuals.

Midiwo, who raised a question on the floor of the House last week on the current status of the land, has tabled a letter authorising the sale of the plot.

"I am wondering how the AG got the powers to advise the revocation of the title using a wrong ruling. This order is specific to the land parcel LR 209.12184 and not 209/13332," he said.

The land in question is situated in Nairobi's Milimani, opposite Milimani Law Courts and adjacent to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). It once housed an Administration Police (AP) camp that was razed in a suspected arson incident in 2010.

On Tuesday, Ngilu revealed revocation of Rosestar's title was reversed following a High Court ruling on advice from the AG in a letter dated July 8, 2013.