Silverio Omari
The Gatabaki family has revealed that they are yet to receive the Ksh.300 million compensation for land allegedly acquired illegally by the government for the construction of the Northern Bypass.
Nancy Wanja Gatabaki, the landowner, claims that private developers are now encroaching on the 206-acre property she acquired in 1955. She maintains that no payment has been made for the land.
“I’ve never received a single penny. I even went to the DCI during [George] Kinoti’s tenure, but nothing has come of it,” she said. Wanja also accused Chinese developers of encroaching on her land, asserting that she has not sold any part of the plot.
“The DCI came to my home, alleging I have 360 acres and that I sold some to Peter Kiarie Muraya. I asked them, ‘Where is the evidence? Did we go to a lawyer?'” she questioned.
She explained the proper process for selling such large parcels of land, which includes involvement of the land board and proper financial transactions, none of which occurred.
In September 2024, Justice Ogutu Mboya ruled that the family was entitled to compensation and determined that the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and the National Land Commission (NLC) had trespassed on the land.
“The judge awarded damages, not payment for the land, and directed a valuation. However, nothing has been done to date,” Wanja lamented.
She is now appealing to the authorities, including the President, for urgent intervention, emphasizing that the land holds deep personal and familial significance.
“This is home; it’s where we grew up. I have no other place to call home, and neither do my children—this is their shagz. My mother is a widow, and we are pleading for help,” she said, describing the situation as a desperate cry for justice.
Dj Vnyash
