A controversy is looming in Murang’a after a land transaction concluded seven years ago has re-emerged. Susan Wanjiru 58 says she established that the family land measuring 1.6 acres had been sold to a neighbour when she was blocked by her relatives from building her house in early February.
The parcel of land at the centre of interest measures 1.6 acres located in Saba Saba location has torn a family apart after revelation it was transferred to Nancy Wangui with a lot of anomalies.
The exposure was made by Susan Wanjiru 58, a resident of Gathuri village after she protested to the administrator after she was blocked by her relatives from building a decent house. Wanjiru, a resident at Saba Saba market, says four years ago he was blocked by her relatives from cultivating the family land without reasons provided.
The County Times revealed that the victim visited the Murang’a Lands Registry on February 28, this year upon learning the family inheritance registered in 1967 under the late Mwangi Njuguna had changed to Wangui and title deed processed.
” What is disturbing is that an assistant chief in Maria ini village in Kandara constituency was behind the sale of the land without involving the family as the law demands,” said Wanjiru.
Following the persistent protest, Murang’a South DCI office ordered her to collect a green card at the Murang’a Lands Registry, which was denied. The matter was however ordered to be heard by Chief Paul Kairu at the Saba Saba office in Maragua constituency and it took a month to conclude it.
In the verdict, given by the Makuyu assistant county commissioner Mbai Munuve, Wanjiru was to get a quarter acre out of 1.6 acres of land and cater for the cost of the surveyor. “It has been the most frustrating period between February and June searching for justice, after relatives sold the land secretly,” said Wanjiru, Wanjiru says she is bitter with the verdict entered by the administrators and ready to contest it in court.
A community leader Solmon Mungai said the government should order for investigations on illegal land transaction as Wanjiru family had been subjected to mental torture over the irregular sale of the land.
“At the land registry she was denied access to the green card for the parcel measuring 1.6 acres after the attendants learnt it was being wanted by the DCI officers to investigate fraud,” said Mungai.
Mungai said Wanjiru was humiliated in the process as repetition of the process will cover up the fraudulent process that the Makuyu land control board ignored. Kimorori Assistant Commissioner’s office picked up the matter and interrogated the chiefs and the family of the late Wakaba on how the land where it emerged as land board was not involved.
But Mr Kairu said the matter has been resolved with recommendations that the title deed issued to Wangui be revoked as the procedure involved were irregular.
The parties involved, the chief said, have been advised to start the process afresh pursuing all the legal and laid down procedures. “The entire process was full of irregularities as the chief from the neighbouring location signed the consent letter in defiance to the rule of the law. Also, the matter is null and void as the land control board was not involved,” said Kairu.
Details at the land registrar emerged that the land changed hands to Wangui on October 18,2018 Further investigation revealed that Maria ini Assistant Chief in kandara wrote a succession note to Kandara Law Court.
In the meeting chaired by the ACC, it was resolved that Wanjiru will cater the cost of surveyors who will subdivide the land. To date nothing has transpired with no surveyors sent on the ground to follow up the recommendations