A new attempt to repossess the land on which the Weston Hotel is built has kicked off, with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) now demanding its land back.
This follows the National Lands Commission (NLC) determination that KCAA is the rightful owner of the parcel of land on which the four-star hotel sits.
In its initial determination, it directed both parties to negotiate the price of land with the owner, Deputy President William Ruto, instead of demolishing it, for possible compensation.
However, through its lawyers James Orengo and Otiende Amollo, KCAA has moved to court demanding its land back, arguing that NLC lacks powers to rule on the fate of the land.
In court papers at the Lands and Environment Court, KCAA terms NLC's ruling as ambiguous and absurd, pointing out that it has never st any point applied for compensation.
"The first respondent’s (NLC) determination further is irrational and irregular as no party pleaded for compensation. The final order also fails to account for the fixtures on the land, making the order ambiguous and absurd and incapable of implementation,” reads the papers, according to Standard.
KCAA argues that the determination seeks to favour Ruto's hotel and other involved parties in their corrupt dealings after it was found that the land was grabbed.
According to the KCAA, the hotel was also built without proper development approvals, in a fresh turn of events likely to further worsen things for the embattled Deputy President.
The same has been one of the issues corruption allegations used by his rivals to bash him ahead of his 2022 presidential bid and had denied ownership of the hotel until earlier in the year.
The case set to kick off on July 4.