NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) is under pressure from Parliament to urgently secure title deeds for all land under its management after revelations that 11 parcels in Mlolongo have been irregularly allocated to private individuals.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee on Commercial Affairs and Energy, KCAA Director General Emile Arao admitted that the authority has no title deeds for any of its land in the area—despite managing key installations such as the Central Transmission Station in Machakos County.
“The Survey of Kenya confirmed the irregular allocations and advised us to initiate legal proceedings,” Arao told MPs.
He added that the authority had sought help from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) as early as April 2022, but no progress has been made.
The Committee, chaired by Pokot South MP David Pkosing, was reviewing KCAA’s financial statements for the years 2018/19 to 2021/22 when the land issue came to light.
Lawmakers expressed outrage at what they described as a sluggish and passive approach by the aviation authority in protecting public assets.
“You’re at risk of being evicted from your own land,” said Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri, warning that without ownership documents, KCAA could legally be considered squatters.
Kiunjuri called for an urgent site visit to establish the extent of encroachment, a sentiment echoed by other MPs who accused KCAA of failing to act in time to stop illegal takeovers.
The situation has been complicated further by the disappearance of land records at the Ministry of Lands.
“We attempted a search, but the files are missing,” Arao told the committee. “The 11 parcels now bear title deeds in the names of private individuals.”
This revelation drew sharp criticism from lawmakers, who questioned the effectiveness of the ongoing digitisation of land records.
“If we’re digitising, why can’t we trace basic documents?” asked Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge.
According to KCAA, the contested parcels—carved out of a 160-acre plot—amount to just over four acres (4.1271 acres), prompting Ganze MP Kazungu Tungule to demand a clearer explanation of how the encroachment occurred.
In response, the committee unanimously directed KCAA to immediately place a legal caution on the affected parcels at the Lands Registry, and to fast-track legal proceedings to reclaim the property.
“This committee will not sit back and watch public land being grabbed while agencies fail to act,” Pkosing said.
Other KCAA projects also came under scrutiny during the session, including 31 housing units in Nyali and staff housing in Bamburi and Miritini—all flagged in audit reports for various irregularities.
