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The house in Bahati, Nakuru North, that a single mother rejected for being a “joke” of a gift from the President has been given to a “deserving” beneficiary.
Ms Damaris Wambui Kamau, mother of Dennis Ngaruiya, who cracked President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ribs with a thrilling poem four years ago, was to take the house at Murunyu.
She rejected it yet it had reportedly been built for her on the President’s orders, saying it was in a poor state yet a State House official had been ordered to ensure she had a decent home.
After she complained, State House Spokesperson and Head of the Presidential Strategic Communication Unit (PSCU), Kanze Dena, insisted it was well-furnished.
And now, Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Chimwaga Mongo says the President only promised Ms Kamau the payment of her son’s school fees, not a house.
Mr Mongo claimed on Sunday that unknown people “sat down and decided” to come up with the idea of a plot as an extension of Mr Kenyatta’s goodwill.
He explained that when Ms Kamau went to State House, there was no promise to buy a plot and build her a house.
“The only promise President Kenyatta made was for the full payment of Dennis’ school fees. There was no promise to build a house or anything else,” he said.
“The promise of paying school fees is intact … nobody has interfered with it.”
To end the stalemate, Mr Mongo said, the house was handed to a “deserving” person at a ceremony on Sunday.
The commissioner handed over the house to one Mr Macharia Gachie, 58, as Ms Kamau rejected it saying it was substandard.
“We tried in vain to convince Ms Kamau and her son to accept the house so we decided to hand it over to a deserving Kenyan,” he said.
Mr Mongo said the new beneficiary was selected as he has six children, three of whom are physically disabled.
“We had three names from which Mr Macharia’s was picked. We were ordered from above to hand over the house officially and end this stalemate,” he said.
Mr Mongo said the house was built by well-wishers whom he declined to name.
“This plot was bought at Sh650,000 by a well-wisher who paid in four installments to the original land owner after subdividing it into several plots,” he said.
“The total cost of the house and plot was nearly Sh1million.”
He also declined to name the original owner of the land and to state whether a a certificate of occupancy was obtained as required by law.
However, Mr Mongo said the land had no title as the owner was yet to transfer the subdivided plot to the new owner.
“We were waiting for the new owner to occupy the house to start the process of issuing the title deed,” he said.
The handing over event was reminiscent of a State function as Nakuru County Commissioner Erustus Mbui, Bahati Deputy County Commissioner Mutua Kisilu, area chiefs and their assistants attended.
Also present were a Mr Wanjohi and Mr Mike Getone, who are said to be State House staffers.
Mr Macharia, while accepting the two-bedroom house that was refurbished, thanked the well-wishers, saying, “I had been living in a single room with my disabled children.”
Regarding this turn of events, Ms Kamau said she was not worried.
“We made our point and one day President Kenyatta will know the plain truth,” she said after confirming that the provincial administration had asked her to accept the house.
In her earlier interview with the Nation, however, Ms Dena said what was agreed upon in Ms Kamau’s meeting with the President was delivered.
“From information gathered, the house was built and furnished but the lady claims it was made of waste papers. I don’t understand what she meant by that,” she said.
The land is next to a piece belonging to the Mr Getone, who is said to work at State House.
While rejecting the house, Ms Kamau said the President directed a State House official to ensure the payment of her son’s tuition for four years, including university, if he qualified.
Ms Kamau, who said President Kenyatta made the promise on Mashujaa Day in 2015, further said the house was not the kind of befitting gift President Kenyatta had in mind for them.
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