Controversial Preacher Pastor James Ng’ang’a has said the only way the government can acquire the piece of land hosting his Neno Evangelism Centre church is by purchasing it.

Speaking outside Parliament grounds on Thursday after appearing before the House’s Departmental Committee on Lands, Ng’ang’a said the government should pay Ksh200 billion to be able to take the parcel in question.

“Nimeleta makaratasi yangu na kama mnataka nyinyi kama government, njoo mniambie niwauzie…nataka 200 billion…muichukue kwa njia ya kuongea.” Ng’ang’a said.

He recapitulated that the contentious piece of land belonged to him and accusing the government of trying to ‘snatch’ it away from him.

The land, located at the Haile Selassie Avenue and Uhuru Highway intersection, is one of lands that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) are trying to recover on claims that they belong to the Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC).

Ng’ang’a while appearing before the Lands Committee, narrated how he acquired the land after it was put up for sale by the government itself in 2004.

“I started preaching in Mombasa before later coming to Nairobi. In 2004, I saw a ‘land for sale’ sign from CBK, when I went to inquire about it they told me the price was Ksh.32 million, but they told me to pay 10% and the rest within 90 days,” he said.

The controversial preacher said that he bought  for the parcel from CBK through a loan serviced by Equity bank which he was able to repay by 2008.

He goes on to say that it was in 2020 that he received a letter from Kenya Railways Corporation in 2020 notifying him that they wanted to reclaim the land.

He continues to say he was later summoned by former Cabinet Secretary James Macharia and former Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) Director-General Maj-Gen Mohammed Badi to clear the air on the matter.

“I showed them all the supporting documents and they said ‘We don’t have this in our records’ and I was never called again,” added Ng’ang’a.

The lands committee hence gave the preacher 14 days to submit all supporting documents for ownership of the contentious parcel.

“Wanapiga kanisa lakini sio hii watapiga. Hii ilienda kwa sababu niko na rights zote. Ksh.42 million that is a lot of money… tukalipa, ” Ng’ang’a says in reference of the sum of money he alleges to have paid for the land.