Nairobi — A watchdog group wants land transactions between former Defence minister Njenga Karume, the Kenyatta family and government investigated.

The Kenya Lands Alliance has named Karume and the Kenyatta family as among the "political elite" who have sold land to the government for resettling Internally Displaced Persons.

The watchdog claims in its audit report that the transactions have been "shrouded in unhealthy secrecy which is a fertile ground for corruption," with ordinary Kenyans with land for sale being denied a chance to also make a bid.

Apart from Karume and the Kenyatta family, others named as having sold land to the government to resettle IDPs are former Magharini MP, Kasera Yeri.

The report also wants a probe on whether the 15,000-acre section of the Solio Ranch, in Laikipia District bought in 2007 at Sh 1.275 billion to resettle squatters is owned by Mathira MP Ephraim Maina.

KLA has said that though the Attorney General, the Director of Government Procurement and the Ministerial Tendering Committee authorized the land transactions, the government's own tendering procedures were flouted in the acquisition of the land meant for resettlement to the benefit of individuals with powerful political connections.

"It is now evident that the government purchased land from members of the political elite without giving an opportunity to other Kenyans to make offers of their land for purchase," the report reads.

"Even if the process was authorised by the Attorney General, the Director of Government Procurement and the Ministerial Tendering Committee, the fact that the decision benefitted a serving senior cabinet minister to the exclusion of other Kenyans would point to an abuse of power by public officials," it adds.

"Public officials in charge of the re-settlement process failed in their public duty to avail information to the public on the process, thus providing a convenient veil for corruption," the audit report continues.

The report tracks the use of public funds allocated by the government in the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 fiscal years for the resettlement of persons displaced by ethnic clashes, those relocated from water catchment areas and the landless in Rift Valley and Coast Provinces.

The government allocated Sh 400 million and Shs 1.3 billion in the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 fiscal years respectively, for the resettlement project. Sh 2.2 billion were set aside for resettlement of IDPs this financial year but the audit does not capture the transactions for this fiscal year.

For Karume, the alliance says he has so far sold three farms all in Molo district totaling to Sh 169 million. They are Molo Highlands 350 acres (LR No. 9696) at Sh 49 million, Kivulini 300 acres (LR No. 9062) at 72 million and Katikati 360 acres (LR No. 9060) at Sh 48 million-all transactions entered in 2006 and surveying in progress.

The report says that though the government purchased Karume's farms at rates reflecting market prices, there was no competitive bidding.

"In 2007, the Controller and Auditor General concluded that the purchase of the Molo Highlands, Kivulini and Katikati farms did not follow the laid down procurement procedures that require competitive tendering," KLA report states.

"All the three parcels were single sourced. There is also no evidence that the Public Procurement Directorate sanctioned the use of single sourcing. Moreover, there are no evaluation documents to prove that the relevant ministerial committee participated in the sale process," it adds.

Karume has however constantly maintained that the transactions he has so far made with the government have been based on a willing seller and willing buyer.

For Kenyatta family, the report claims government in 2007 bought 927-acre Gathecha Holding Farm in Mtwapa Division, Kilifi District for resettlement of landless people in the district which belonged to the family.

"According to officers at the Kilifi District Land Office (DLO), the farm reportedly belonged to members of the family of the late President Jomo Kenyatta from which it was purchased by the government," the audit reports states. The land was acquired at Sh 33 million and the report says there was no much variance between the Sh 35,800 paid per acre and the market rates.

Also queried is the 15,000-acre section of the Solio Ranch, in Laikipia District bought in 2007 at Sh 1.275 billion.

According to media reports however, it claims that government valuers determined the land cost at about Sh 50,000 per acre, while independent valuers in Nyeri put the cost at between Sh 20,000 and Sh 30,000 per acre yet the government was paying Sh 85,000 per acre.

The entire 60,000-acre of the Solio Ranch was reportedly owned by Americans Courtland Edward Parfet, E.J. Parfet and B Mitchel.

"When asked if they were any local partners who were owners of the ranch or whether parts of it had been transferred to Kenyans, the Laikipia District Commissioner declined to comment arguing that it was a sensitive matter that involved influential members of the Kenyan political class.

KLA says that its research team visited the Registrar of Companies in February 2009 to assess records pertinent to the ranch's ownership but the file was not available.

"There have also been reports that the land is actually owned by the current Mathira MP, Ephraim Maina," the report reads.

On Magharini former MP, the report says the government bought Chakama Ranch I and II in Chakama Division, Malindi District from him. The farms' sizes are 15,636 and 34,821.

The report has also queried the distribution of the land so far acquired. "So far there is no evidence that persons displaced by ethnic violence in both the Rift Valley and Coast province in the 1990s have benefited from the seven settlement schemes in focus in this budget-tracking exercise," the report claims," it states.