Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome has declared that the government would not intervene in the longstanding land dispute between Njiru residents and the family of late politician Gerishon Kirima.
Speaking to the members of the Fourth Estate on Tuesday, November 21, the CS noted that the legal documents presented confirmed the Kirima family's ownership of the disputed 1,000 acres.
Wahome also reiterated the court's order that required the residents to vacate the land by December 31.
"As a ministry, we have received a lot of enquiries on if we can buy the land or settle people in the land. We have no such plans, the land belongs to Kirima and the government has no claim on that land or say in the matter," Wahome announced.
Wahome also urged potential buyers or investors to verify land ownership through official land records before engaging in any transactions.
"Before you put your money on the table to the owner of an alleged land, please verify with the lands record, be warned," she cautioned.
1000-acre land dispute
This comes hot on the heels of the High Court's declining to suspend an order for the eviction of thousands of residents of Njiru.
On Monday, November 23, Judge Anne Omollo from the Employment and Lands Court made a decision not to halt the December 31 demolition order. This order was initially given in a judgment by Superior Court Judge Samson Okon'go.
Additionally, the judge rejected a plea from Demico De Masi's son, who asserts ownership of the land as the descendant of an Italian settler, to be included as an interested party in the legal proceedings.
This court ruling follows a challenge by the land's current residents against Justice Okong'o's directive issued on October 23.
The judge granted ownership of the disputed land to the estate of the deceased billionaire Kirima.
Additionally, the judge ordered all unauthorized occupants to leave the property, cautioning that failure to comply would lead to their forceful eviction by the beneficiaries of the Kirima estate.
The residents argued that the Kirima family had unlawfully taken possession of the property, contending that the land rightfully belonged to Demico.
