National Lands Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri (R) greets Athi River deputy county commissioner Geoffrey Omoding at Ngelani in Mavoko, Machakos County on December 21, 2017, [Photo/MAUGO OWITI]
Owning land in Machakos County has become hell due to con men and cartels, says investor John Onchari.
Onchari said he was duped ten years ago by an individual who sold him land in Athi River, Machakos County but did not issue him a credible document of ownership.
He said he only realized there were other five people who claimed ownership of the same land when he attempted to develop it two years after he bought it.
“Land issues in Machakos County and especially Mavoko is serious, it is hell buying land in the county,” said Onchari.
He addressed the press in Athi River town on Sunday.
The local investor who resides in Nairobi County said the land’s issue had cost him lots of money.
“I have moved everywhere trying to seek justice on the land in vain, cartels are in almost all offices handling land matters,” said Onchari.
Onchari said the case had been dragging in court for several years and he has no hopes of getting justice soon.
He said the case had been complicated with the fact that the land in question had no title deed apart from an allotment letter.
“All of us claiming the piece of land have got no title deed as proof of ownership, we all have allotment letters,” said Onchari.
Onchari called for radical changes in Lands Ministry and National Lands Commission to get rid of the cartels and bring sanity in the institutions.
He said with such changes, Kenya’s facing challenges like his could get justice.