The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has successfully recovered public land in Kakamega worth Ksh 20 million that belongs to the Ministry of Housing.
According to court documents shared by the EACC on Tuesday, August 12, the parcel of land, Kakamega Municipality Block 111/100, measures 0.9 hectares and was registered to Kakamega on December 28, 1974. It had been reserved for the construction of houses for civil servants.
In a judgment delivered on August 6, 2025, Justice P. Mutua ruled that the property was trust land specifically set aside for public use, meaning it could not lawfully be allocated to private individuals. The court found that any lease or title issued over the land was invalid.
“The land was trust land reserved for civil servants’ housing, meaning it could not be allocated to private individuals. Any lease or title issued over it is therefore null and void,” Justice Mutua stated in his ruling.
Following this determination, the court ordered the cancellation of all illegal entries made in the land register. It also directed that vacant possession be surrendered by the first defendant, Mr. Peter Muhatia Alubale, and issued a permanent injunction barring any further dealings with the land except for its return to the Government.
The ruling was hailed as a significant win in the fight against land grabbing, a vice that has plagued various parts of the country for decades. By restoring the property to its state, the court reaffirmed that public resources must be protected for the benefit of all citizens.
The EACC praised the judgment, describing it as a decisive move in protecting public resources.
“This decisive ruling not only restores the land to the rightful owner but also sends a strong message that public resources are not for private grabbing,” the commission said.
EACC said that the outcome of the case reinforces the commission’s mandate to recover public property acquired illegally.
“The EACC remains committed to protecting Kenya’s public assets and holding all who engage in corruption accountable. We will not relent in pursuing cases where public resources have been stolen or irregularly allocated.”
The commission also called on Kenyans to support its work by reporting corruption and illegal acquisition of public property.
“The fight against corruption is a shared responsibility. We urge members of the public to be vigilant and to report any suspected cases of public assets being grabbed,” EACC stated.
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