Uhuru's new Cabinet Secretary in trouble hours after being sworn-in

dennis kibet

February 19, 2018 5:44 AM

The new CS has landed in trouble barely hours after being sworn-in at State House.

New Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney has found herself embroiled in a bitter land dispute barely hours after being sworn-in at State House Nairobi.

At the centre of the controversy is the ownership of a parcel of land in Nandi County which Karoney insists she legally bought from a seller who produced a genuine land title deed and claims she she had the necessary documentation to prove the fact.

Ownership row

“There is nothing illegal about the acquisition of this land. I followed due procedure to acquire the land and all evidence is available,” the new CS said.

The former area MCA Amos Korir disputed Karoney's ownership of the land and claims to own part of the land.

Korir said that they had documents showing that the land belonged to them.

He said the initial owner, a Maria Chelagat, who is now deceased, sold it to their father Abraham Titomet Korir’s in 1968.

Police enforcement

On the day she took oath of office as the new Lands CS at State House, dozens of police officers were deployed at Kamoywo in Chesumei Constituency, Nandi County to enforce a court order giving her permission to fence the piece of land.

The armed police officers were forced to lob teargas cannisters at angry villagers who had attempted to block the land's survey and fencing following court orders.

Karoney was nominated by President Uhuru Kenyatta last month from the Royal Media Services where she held the position of Chief Operating Officer and also served as the Group Editorial Director for the media company.

dennis kibet