The transaction of sh1.billion meant to pay for the piece of land set for the expansion of Deputy President William Ruto’s office has been cancelled by the government.

National Land Commission (NLC) halted the payment of Ksh 1 billion for a plot meant for the expansion after receiving a notice from a former MP, through the Attorney General’s office, showing that the land was irregularly transferred from City Hall to one the late Rahab Wanjiru.

Rahab Wanjiru was a dancer to the late President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. Her family came to own the plot after the NLC ruled that the property rightfully belonged to Rahab Wanjiru following complaints of it being allocated illegally.

National Treasury had allocated Ksh 500 million during the budget for the year 2015 for the purchase of the plot and a balance of Ksh 500 million was to be allocated in this year’s budget amounting to Ksh1 billion buyout price for the o.7 acre plot adjacent to Harambee House Annex office.

The family was set to receive Ksh1 billion for this land next to the Deputy President’s office. Wanjiru was a former freedom fighter and a member of the Nyakinyua Group, famous for entertaining the late president Jomo Kenyatta

NLC acting chairperson Abigael Mbagaya revealed that they cannot proceed with the payment for the plot until the complaint filed by a former MP has been thoroughly reviewed and fully solved.

“We will review whether the transfer from City Hall was irregular. But remember local authorities had the right to allocate their plot to private investors,” Mbagaya told Business Daily.

Members of Parliament had earlier questioned the price of the property citing that it had no buildings on it. Security concerns led to the land being gazetted by the land commission in June 2015 with the aim to establish the owner.