BBC Hardtalk Puts Uhuru on the Spot

Kenya's Deputy prime minister Uhuru Kenyatta found himself at an awkward situation in a BBC Hardtalk interview when he was being asked about Land issues in Kenya by Stephen Sucker.

Uhuru Kenyatta who is the son of Kenya's first President,Jomo Kenyatta,evaded a torrent of hard hitting questions asked by Stephen Sucker.

Kiss Fm had played the interview in the morning on the breakfast show.The kenyatta family are kenya's biggest land owners.There is much speculation about how much land the Kenyattas own,but its well over the thousands of hectares.For example,the Kenyattas own about 100 acres of land in the posh areas of Karen stretching towards Ngong.With an acre of land going for about 10 million in karen!

Most of the land is said to have been acquired illegally.The new minister for Land James Orengo has been cracking the whip on illegal land owners.Ad he is to start implementing a host of land reforms based on the Ndungu Land report.

Here is the section of the interview on Land:(its not accurate word to word)

Uhuru Kenyatta: We are working on a new constitution and we will deliver.
Stephen Sucker: But that's what you said last time. 3 years later there is no new constitution.
Uhuru Kenyatta:Yes, but the main reason is,the draft constitution proposed was defeated.People voted against it.Just as Kenyans were divided during last years election,is the same way kenyans were divided during the referendum.
Stephen Sucker: But do you promise to deliver this time?
Uhuru Kenyatta: Kenyans will get a new constitution.The issue of prime minister was hotly debated,but now we have a prime minister.We are working on it.
Stephen Sucker: What about Land reforms?
Uhuru Kenyatta:The issue of Land reforms is being discussed and policies are being put in place.
Stephen Sucker:How much Land do the Kenyatta family own?
Uhuru Kenyatta: I do not need to answer that.
Stephen Sucker: But you will need to answer that when the issue of land allocation is discussed.
Uhuru Kenyatta:I don't need to sit at BBC and reveal how much land I own.The land policies affect every citizen,and its not an individual issue.
Stephen sucker:If the land reforms are implemented it means people will have to give up illegally acquire land.
Uhuru Kenyatta: Yes am aware of that.
Stephen sucker: You might have to give up land.
Uhuru Kenyatta: If thats the position taken for land reforms,then i will have to.But this is not an individual issue,its for every Kenyan citizen.
Stephen Sucker: So you will not tell me how much land you own?
Uhuru Kenyatta:its not that i won't tell you,i don't need to tell you.The issue of land reforms is a national issue,and it does not boil to how much land I own.And you can come to the hearings of land issues and reforms and participate.
Stephen Sucker: I will come.Especially to know your role in land issues facing Kenyans.


PS:The above transcript may not be an accurate word to word account of the real interview.But its close.For more info go here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/7531151.stm

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