Anti-Graft Agency To Reclaim Sh1.8 Billion Stolen Public Land

The anti-corruption agency has filed a court petition asking for permission to recover Sh1.8 billion worth of public land that it claims private developers have stolen.

The Environment and Land Courts in Nakuru have received two distinct lawsuits from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) seeking to reclaim the two plots of land, according to a statement.

The property is supposedly owned by two developers and lies off the Naivasha-Mai Mahiu Road. It belongs to Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO).

According to the EACC’s statement, KALRO and the aforementioned developers have been engaged in a dispute over the two parcels of land totaling 53ha for some time.

The most recent action by EACC is the accusation that former Commissioner of Lands Wilson Gachanja allocated the land to Pineapples Edge Limited and Trojan Nominees Limited in a dishonest and irregular manner. The land in question is alleged to have been stolen by the developers more than 20 years ago.

Environmentalists staged a nonviolent protest on the property that also borders Lake Naivasha last year after the developer cut off a portion of the passageway leading to the body of water.

According to a statement by EACC’s Head of Corporate Affairs and Communication, Eric Ngumbi, “In each case, the judge has issued injunction orders forbidding the defendants from dealing with the land in any way other than by way of surrender to the government.”

According to EACC, it is requesting court judgments stating that the two corporations’ acquisition of the land was unlawful and void.

According to Mr. Ngumbi, “We are requesting that a permanent injunction be issued against the defendants, prohibiting them or their representatives from trespassing, transferring, or leasing the premises.

The commission also stated that it had been proven that private individuals and land officials had conspired to carry out the unlawful purchase in almost all instances.