Pastor James Ng’ang’a of Neno Evangelism Church has vehemently denied accusations of land-grabbing leveled against him, as reported by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
According to the EACC, the land housing Ng’ang’a’s church is purportedly owned by Kenya Railways, and the anti-graft body has identified it among others for reclamation due to alleged grabbing, potentially leading to the demolition of Ng’ang’a’s church.
In response to these claims, the controversial cleric boldly challenged the government to proceed with demolishing his church, asserting his innocence. Ng’ang’a maintained that he legally acquired the land, with an unchallenged title deed dating back over four decades.
Ng’ang’a clarified that he became the owner of the land in 2004, more than 20 years after the original title deed was registered in the government’s lands directory. He expressed bewilderment as to why previous administrations, spanning from the late Daniel Moi’s to Uhuru Kenyatta’s, had not pursued him over alleged land grabbing.
Dismissing accusations of fraudulent acquisition from Kenya Railways, Ng’ang’a asserted that he purchased the property from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) after ensuring the legitimacy of the title deed.
He questioned the timing of the allegations, pointing out that the title deed was issued in 1980, during Moi’s era, and remained unchanged during subsequent administrations.
Ng’ang’a’s defiance comes in the wake of Bishop Margaret Wanjiru’s church being raided and partially demolished over similar allegations of land grabbing, indicating a growing trend of scrutiny on land ownership within religious institutions.
