Tatu City has raised serious accusations against Kiambu County Governor Kimani Wamatangi and his advisor, claiming they sought to extort KES 4.3 billion (USD 33 million) in land.
Owned and developed by Rendeavour, Africa’s premier new city builder, Tatu City boasts shareholders from New Zealand, the UK, the US, and Norway. The company has accused Governor Wamatangi of delaying the approval of its new Master Plan for over 18 months while attempting to seize more than 40 acres of land, including property for the governor’s personal residence.
“It’s time to blow the whistle on Governor Wamatangi’s attempted extortion of Tatu City,” declared Preston Mendenhall, Chief Operating Officer and Kenya Country Head at Rendeavour. “Governor Wamatangi has, in numerous meetings with our representatives, illegally demanded free land in exchange for approving our new Master Plan. This behavior is detrimental to Kenya’s investment climate and job creation efforts.”
According to Tatu City, the governor’s delay has resulted in a loss of over KES 16 billion (USD 125 million) in potential investment and 4,500 new jobs for young Kenyans.
At a press conference in Nairobi, Tatu City presented a letter titled “Pending Issues” from Salome Wainaina, County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Lands, Housing, Physical Planning, Municipal Administration, and Urban Development. The letter, dated April 16, 2024, demanded that Tatu City “surrender” more than 40 acres of land, including land for Wamatangi’s residence. Both Governor Wamatangi and CEC Member Wainaina have made this surrender a condition for the Master Plan’s approval.
Kenyan law stipulates no legal basis for Tatu City to surrender land to Kiambu County without compensation. The Tatu City Master Plan, adhering to Kenyan and international best practices, has allocated 103 acres for “public purpose” use, intended for public amenities like hospitals, schools, and emergency services. The Land Act of Kenya requires a compulsory acquisition process for public land needs, ensuring just and equitable compensation to the landowner.
To support its claims, Tatu City provided documents detailing the extensive approval process followed for its new Master Plan. The amended plan was initially submitted to the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning, followed by a thorough review process involving national and county stakeholders and public participation. All feedback was incorporated into the plan.
In June 2023, the National Director of Physical Planning invited further comments on the amended Master Plan through a newspaper advertisement. After a 60-day period with no substantial feedback or objections, the National Director, before approving the plan, sought a no-objection letter from the Kiambu County Government, as required by the Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019.
Salome Wainaina, the Kiambu County CEC Member behind the extortion letter, confirmed that Tatu City had met all requirements. Nevertheless, she and Governor Wamatangi personally blocked the approval process.
During the press conference, Tatu City urged Governor Wamatangi, who has no formal role in the Master Plan approval process, to cease his interference in land planning and investment matters and called on the CEC to issue a no-objection letter.
mg5cwl