Activist sues Ruto over Weston Hotel land

Politics and policy

Martin Murithi Njeru outside Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on July 1, 2015 after filing a case against Deputy President William Ruto over the acquisition of the land on which Weston Hotel was built. PHOTO | PAUL WAWERU 

By PAUL OGEMBA

In Summary

• Martin Muriithi Njeru says he has sufficient reasons to believe DP William Ruto illegally acquired the land from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and should be ordered to surrender it to the government.

Pressure has increased on Deputy President William Ruto to surrender the land on which Weston Hotel sits after a land rights activist sued him over alleged grabbing.

Martin Muriithi Njeru argued that he has sufficient reasons to believe Mr Ruto illegally acquired the land from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and should be ordered to surrender it to the government.

“Mr Ruto has publicly admitted that he owns Weston Hotel which is built on public land. Despite being aware of the illegal acquisition of the land, Mr Ruto has ignored public outcry concerning his illegal acts,” said Mr Njeru.

He wants the court to order Mr Ruto to step aside pending investigations into the alleged land grab, arguing that he occupies an influential position and is likely to interfere with investigations if he’s still in office.

He also wants Mr Ruto stopped from dealing, alienating or transferring the Weston Hotel land until the dispute surrounding its acquisition is determined.

“Several citizens have continuously been affected by the acts of Mr Ruto and he has refused to heed their calls despite being aware that he took the land illegally amid protests from KCAA,” swore Mr Njeru in court papers.

He further wants Mr Ruto ordered to produce all documents he used to acquire the land, and for the National Land Commission to cancel any title he has for the land.

READ: New twist as Ruto admits to owning part of Weston Hotel

According to Mr Njeru, Mr Ruto has violated constitutional provisions on integrity and leadership and should be declared morally unfit to continue holding a state office.

“As a concerned citizen, I have reason to believe that Mr Ruto is not fit to hold public office for being associated with so many corrupt deals. His character does not befit a state officer and has refused to consider how his acts are affecting the citizens of Kenya.”

His application adds voice to calls by the Opposition, Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) for the government to repossess the Weston Hotel’s land title.

Cord leader Raila Odinga last week said that the hotel should be demolished and that the government should immediately initiate prosecution of all individuals involved in acquiring the public land.

Mr Ruto, however, defended the land’s acquisition, maintaining that it was not public land and that it was legally sold to the company that runs Weston Hotel.

According to him, the hotel was built in Lang’ata Constituency when Mr Odinga was both the prime minister and area MP, and that he (Mr Odinga) never raised any questions at the time.

Mr Ruto further defended his acquisition of the plot, saying it was not in the Ndung’u Report of grabbed public land or those whose titles were cancelled by former Land minister James Orengo.