Prime Airport Land Vulnerable To Grabbing With Title Deeds Missing

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has no title deeds for five major international airports, leaving them vulnerable to grabbing by private developers.

It came as a shock to the Public Investments Committee (PIC) when it was discovered that title deeds for Kisumu International Airport and Lamu’s Manda airstrip are absent.

PIC also learned that the title deeds for Wilson airport and the Eldoret International Airport lie in the hands of private lawyers.

“It is appalling that title deeds for our key airports are missing and that the KAA has no clarification as to where they are. Further perturbing is how private law firms hold titles for a State corporation,” said Abdulswamad Nassir, the PIC chairman during the inspection of KAA books of accounts for the years 2012/13 to 2015/16.

The KAA managing director, Jonny Andersen, explained to the committee that the title deed for Ukunda airstrip is held by the Ethics and Anticorruption Commission (EACC) following investigations

Jonny Andersen, the KAA managing director, told the committee chaired by that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is holding the title deed for Ukunda airstrip following investigations on the removal of the airport land.

MPs were more shocked when Mr. Andersen stated that there were no steps taken to report the absence of title deeds for Manda Airstrip and Kisumu airport. This forced the PIC chairman to give a directive that a caveat is placed at the Ministry of Land to protect the property.

“The title for Wilson Airport is with the lawyers as they are executing a sublease. The land has been leased to third parties and the titles have been given to the lawyers for facilitation of the sublease preparation,” said Mr. Andersen.

However, he was tasked with providing proof of the claims that the titles were held by the lawyers or the EACC.

Amidst all the suspicion, Mr. Andersen guaranteed the MPs that the airport land was safe.