Governor Wamatangi Accused of Extortion in Tatu City Land Dispute

Tatu City, one of Kenya’s largest foreign direct investors, has accused Kiambu County Governor Kimani Wamatangi and his advisor of attempting to extort KES 4.3 billion (USD 33 million) in land.

Owned and developed by Rendeavour, Africa’s leading new city builder with shareholders from New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Norway, Tatu City claims Governor Wamatangi has delayed the approval of its new Master Plan for over 18 months while attempting to seize more than 40 acres of land, including land for his own residence.

“It’s time to expose Governor Wamatangi’s attempted extortion of Tatu City,” said Preston Mendenhall, Chief Operating Officer and Kenya Country Head at Rendeavour. “Governor Wamatangi has illegally demanded free land in return for approving Tatu City’s new Master Plan. We condemn his actions for damaging Kenya’s investment climate and hindering job creation.”

Tatu City estimates that Governor Wamatangi’s delays have cost the county and country over KES 16 billion (USD 125 million) in investment value 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, demands that Tatu City “surrender” more than 40 acres of land, including land for Wamatangi’s residence. Governor Wamatangi and CEC Member Wainaina have made this land surrender a condition for approving Tatu City’s Master Plan.

According to Kenyan law, there is no legal basis for Tatu City to surrender land to Kiambu County without payment.

Tatu City’s Master Plan, adhering to Kenyan and international best practices in urban planning, has allocated 103 acres for public purposes, such as hospitals, schools, and emergency services. The Land Act of Kenya stipulates that if the government requires land for public use, a compulsory acquisition process must occur, ensuring just and equitable compensation to the landowner.

To support its accusations, Tatu City presented documents detailing the extensive approval process for its new Master Plan, including interactions with national and county offices and public participation. Despite meeting all requirements, as confirmed by CEC Member Wainaina, the Kiambu County Government has refused to proceed with the approval.

At 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. They called on the CEC to issue a no-objection letter to the revised Master Plan.

Since 2021, Tatu City, a pioneering Special Economic Zone, has created over 20,000 jobs. The new city features more than 2,000 affordable and mid-income apartments, schools with 6,000 students, and 82 businesses, including leading Kenyan and international companies. Over KES 385 billion in investment has been attracted to Tatu City, including a new global 5,000-seat call center set to double in size and employ over 10,000 Kenyans, and cold storage and logistics facilities enhancing Kenya’s food and medicine security.