Nairobi — Three cabinet ministers on Thursday recounted how private developers grabbed public land and attempted to sell it to the government for billions of shillings.

Ministers James Orengo (Lands), Soita Shitanda (Housing) and Otieno Kajwang (Immigration) also revealed how unscrupulous individuals had grabbed government houses and were collecting rent from civil servants occupying them.

The ministers gave the example of the plot next to the Prison headquarters in Nairobi's Community area which had been reserved for the Immigration Ministry only to be irregularly allocated to a private developer.

"The allotees acquired a bank loan irregularly which was not used to develop the plot as is required under the Government Lands Act. The allotees are not servicing the loan and have tried to sell the plot to the government in an attempt to redeem the loan and make some profit in the process," said Mr Orengo at a press conference also addressed by his two colleagues.

Not spared was Jomo Kenyatta Public beach, the famous recreation site in Mombasa which had fallen in the hands of grabbers.

"Last year I directed that the title issued to the Municipal Council of Mombasa be revoked because they had abused the trust bestowed on them as custodians of the public by transferring part of it to an individual," Mr Orengo went on.

Also grabbed is the Mt Elgon hospital in Kitale, a public institution that had been converted into a private company and the popular Kongowea market in Mombasa whose ownership had been transferred into private hands.

The ministers cited various pieces of land and government houses that had been irregularly allocated to private developers in various parts of the country.

They had called the Press conference at the Lands Ministry headquarters to announce the government's decision to revoke title deeds issued to those who acquired the properties illegally.

Mr Orengo announced that he had directed the Commissioner of Lands to issue new titles to the government ministries and departments that ought to have owned the property.

The minister also named several prominent personalities, mainly former MPs who appear in government records as the owners of the property in question.

They include former cabinet minister Peter Oloo Aringo, former Sotik MP Anthony Kimetto, former South Mugirango MP David Kombo and former District Commissioner Ben Mogaka.

Also listed as the registered owner of some of the property the government is laying claim to is the Catholic diocese of Kericho. The government has ordered that the title deed issued against the piece of land owned by the church be revoked.

The ministry, in conjunction with the Office of the Prime Minister and the ministries of Finance, Housing, Local Government and the Attorney General's office has been compiling reports of government land and houses acquired irregularly with a view to revoking their titles.

Mr Shitanda revealed how those who had grabbed government houses in various towns across the country were forcing civil servants occupying the houses to pay them rent.

"I've directed those civil servants to stop paying rent to this individuals forthwith, rent should only be paid to the government and not these individuals," Mr Shitanda ordered.

Mr Orengo on his part stated how the grabbers had even targeted land belonging to the Mombasa and Eldoret Law courts, blaming the situation to the "inefficient" legal process governing the recovery of irregularly acquired public land.

"Courts are even unable to recover land reserved for their use like the case of Eldoret and Mombasa law courts. The government is therefore preparing a Cabinet Memo to set up a framework for efficient recovery of public utility land," he announced.

The minister however declined to state whether the government would pursue and take legal action against the land grabbers, saying each case will be looked at on its own merit.

Among the landmark properties whose titles would be revoked or caveats placed on them include the magnificent Nakumatt Ukay shopping mall in Nairobi, the parking yard next to Nakumatt Westgate, the Kongowea market in Mombasa, the Mt Elgon hospital and Kitale Academy, the later two in Kitale town.

Mr Orengo revealed how directors of the Kenya Marine Fisheries Institute had irregularly transferred the ownership of the land on which Kongowea market stands to a private entity called Kongowea Estates Limited.

The land had been intended for the construction of the Institute's staff quarters. "The land is required for the development of a public facility by the Ministry of Local Government in conjunction with the Ministry of Fisheries. I have directed the revocation of the title and issuance of the same to the Permanent Secretary, Treasury," Mr Orengo stated.

He also accused the Kitale Municipal and County Councils of converting the Mt Elgon hospital, a public institution, into private ownership. He ordered that the title be cancelled and a new one issued to the PS, Treasury and the hospital to be managed by the Ministry of Medical services.