There are several rogue companies trading in land in Athi River Sub-County, deputy county commissioner Kodeck Makori has said.
Makori said such businesses have no land registered with the Lands ministry claiming their owners are criminals.
Makori who spoke to this writer in Athi River Town on Wednesday was reacting to President Uhuru Kenyatta's order that all companies dealing with land across the country including societies should be vetted.
"This is the only place where thieves come to demonstrate in a public office that they are being oppressed by the government after being ejected by security agents from either public or private land they have encroached on," said Makori.
Makori cautioned the residents including both local and foreign investors against being duped into 'buying' land belonging to either East Africa Portland Cement Company, Kenya Meat Commission or the Numerical Engineering Machine Corporation in Athi River.
"I do not understand why members of the public are getting conned that easily, people should not be cheated that they can fraudulently acquire public land," said Makori.
"I do not think the government is in the business of giving out any public land in Athi River. The intentions of the people requesting for the land are questionable," said Makori in reference to people claiming to be squatters in the area.
"People should not use National Lands Commission (NLC) Chairman Muhammad Swazuri's name to grab and sell the land claiming he had promised to revert the Portland and Numerical Machine's land to the squatters," he added.