The High Court has dismissed a claim to a multibillion-shilling land parcel in Ruai, Nairobi.
The land, approximately 1,643 acres, is valued at around Sh13 billion.
This land dispute has been a point of contention between President William Ruto and his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta.
Uhuru had gazetted the land as a protected property aimed at expanding Nairobi’s sewer system. The government claimed the land was illegally grabbed and initiated steps to repossess it. This included the demolition of structures on April 23, 2020.
Then Lands Principal Secretary Nicholas Muraguri stated, “We are repossessing this land for the Dandora Estate Waste Sewerage and Treatment Plant.” He emphasized that private entities had unlawfully taken over the property.
The government secured a Sh20 billion loan from the Africa Development Bank to finance the sewerage plant’s expansion. Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i revoked the land allocation for private use in a June 3, 2020, gazette notice.
However, after Dr. Ruto assumed power, his Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kithure Kindiki, issued a new gazette notice on December 15, 2023, reversing Matiang’i’s directive. This opened the door for subdivision and private use of the land.
Justice Ann Omollo ruled against Kindiki’s decision, directing the registrar of lands to cancel the title held by Renton Company Limited. “The title was acquired illegally and unprocedurally,” she declared.
The judge further barred Renton, a firm linked to President Ruto, from any construction or sale on specific parcels of the land. “This includes areas designated for sewerage and for settling squatters,” she added.
Justice Omollo noted that the land rightfully belongs to the Kamunyonge Squatters, former employees of Embakasi Ranching.
