State gives KEMRI another title deed over Waiguru-KEMRI Mwea land dispute

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru. FILE

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru got another blow after she failed to give out the controversial land title deed that was meant for KEMRI. The Ministry of land has issued another title deed to the research organisation that renders Mrs Anne Kamotho document fake and useless.
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The National Government, through the Ministry of Lands, has issued another title deed of a contested 100-acre parcel of land in Mwea, Kirinyaga County to the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) notwithstanding the area Governor Anne Waiguru declining to hand over the land-ownership document until her conditions were met.

READ ALSO: Kirinyaga MCAs leaves Mrs Waiguru over KEMRI deal


Ministry of Lands Principal Secretary, Dr Nicholas Muraguri, on April 16 issued the Mwea land title deed to KEMRI which designated Kirinyaga County Government as the bonafide owner of the land.

The Lands docket now says the land-ownership document, which is in Waiguru’s custody is null and void as the new title deed overrules the old one.

Mwea MP Wachira Kabinga says the governor now can’t put any obstacles to KEMRI’s Ksh15 billion health and research facility project on the disputed parcel of land.

Mp Wachira and Two more lawmakers from Kirinyaga county applauded the move. Hon Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu) and Hon John Wambugu (Kirinyaga Central) said they were grateful to Muraguri for ending the year-long deadlock.

“Now, KEMRI has legal ownership of the land, and very soon, you would see construction work beginning,” said Mwea Mp Wachira Kabinga.

 " KEMRI was on the edge of channelling the project to another county because of Governor Waiguru frustration. The project is for our people not because of her greed, " Gichugu MP, Githinji alleged.

In October last year, Kirinyaga County Deputy Governor, Peter Ndambiri, said the reason Waiguru was yet to okay the transfer of land to the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) was because the institute bluntly refused to enter into an agreement with the governor.

“KEMRI is not willing to enter into an agreement with Governor Waiguru’s administration. That is why the title deed [of the Wamumu land in Mwea] hasn’t been handed over to it,” Ndambiri said while addressing Kirinyaga residents at Riandira Primary School during the 2019 Mashujaa Day celebrations.

“We want to know how our residents will benefit from the project. KEMRI must sign an agreement with us if it wants to be given the land document,” he added.