Serious questions have been raised over the fate of the College of Insurance land in South C, Nairobi, with MPs demanding answers on how a public asset appears to have slipped into private hands.
The Finance and National Planning Committee raised the alarm after Treasury records suggested that the parcel, long associated with the college, may have been transferred to a trust controlled by three individuals.
Lawmakers dismissed the explanation as misleading, insisting the land was acquired using funds from the insurance levy, money contributed by ordinary Kenyans.
Committee chairperson, Molo MP Kimani Kuria, accused senior Treasury officials of attempting to “sanitize” what he described as a fraudulent takeover. “That school is owned by Kenyans because it was financed by taxpayers’ money. We cannot allow public resources to be stolen under our watch,” Kuria said, warning that Parliament would not endorse any attempt to privatise the property.
ALSO READ:
The matter came up during a session with National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, who told MPs the land was now registered under a private trust but admitted he could not identify the beneficiaries. His remarks drew sharp criticism from members, who argued the CS had been misled and that the government risked losing a strategic national training facility.
Baringo Woman Representative Jematiah Sergon first raised the issue, while Butula MP Joseph Oyula, a former Treasury official, confirmed that the land was originally acquired by government in the late 1980s when the insurance department was under Treasury.
Kesses MP Julius Rutto demanded a full inquiry, noting that the college has operated on the land for more than three decades. “The ministry wants us to believe this land has always been private, yet the college has been here for over 30 years. We need to know how it changed hands,” he said.
Homa Bay township MP Opondo Kaluma urged the committee to summon those behind the alleged transfer. “We should call these characters to lift their veils,” he said, a proposal that was quickly adopted.
The committee has now pledged to pursue the matter to its conclusion, promising that if irregularities are confirmed, it will recommend criminal charges and reclaim the land for the public.
By Masaki Enock
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
