Activist Defends Government Move to Recover Moi-Linked Land Near Eldoret State Lodge, Claims It Was Illegally Acquired

An Eldoret-based human rights activist, Kipkorir Ngetich, has defended the government’s move to seize and recover land near Eldoret State Lodge allegedly associated with the family of former President Daniel arap Moi, arguing that property suspected to have been illegally acquired should not be protected under the Constitution.

Ngetich, who spoke on behalf of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, said the organisation supports the government’s efforts to establish the legitimacy of land ownership and recover public property that may have been unlawfully acquired.

He dismissed claims that the move was politically motivated, warning Kenyans against spreading what he described as propaganda over the matter.

According to Ngetich, the government has a responsibility to safeguard public land and ensure that all property ownership claims comply with the law, regardless of the individuals associated with the properties.

“The Government of Kenya is the custodian of land records dating back to independence and can only act on legitimate information,” Ngetich said, arguing that the recovery process must be guided by verified records and the relevant legal provisions.

He cited Article 40 of the Constitution of Kenya, which protects the right to property, while noting that the protection does not extend to property that has been unlawfully acquired.

Ngetich maintained that the government has the authority to pursue the recovery of public land and other properties found to have been acquired illegally, provided the process follows the law and respects the rights of legitimate owners.

He added that the government can also acquire privately owned land for public purposes or in the public interest, but where ownership is lawful, the process must follow the applicable legal procedures, including compensation where required.

The activist acknowledged that recovering public land acquired several years ago can be a complicated undertaking, particularly where land records have been tampered with, stolen or misplaced.

He said some documents held in land registries and government archives require extensive verification before authorities can establish the original ownership of disputed parcels.

Ngetich urged the public to allow the relevant government agencies to conduct their investigations and establish the facts instead of interpreting the matter as a political campaign against the Moi family, including businessman and politician Gideon Moi.

He further claimed that the family was aware of questions surrounding how the property came into its possession, although the allegations have not been independently established.

The activist also referred to past controversies involving former Commissioner of Lands Sammy Mwaita, whose tenure was associated with disputes over the allocation of public land to influential individuals.

He argued that the history of land allocation in Kenya demonstrates the importance of reviewing ownership records and ensuring that public resources are not unlawfully transferred to private individuals.

“When the government is performing its constitutional duty, we must stop politicising it,” Ngetich said, urging Kenyans to distinguish between lawful property ownership and allegations of illegal acquisition.

He maintained that the government under President William Ruto should not be viewed as targeting the Moi family, insisting that any action taken against a particular property should be based on evidence and the law rather than political considerations.

Ngetich added that properties located near sensitive government installations, including State Lodges, State Houses, military camps and other strategic public offices, should undergo thorough ownership verification to establish whether they were acquired legally.

He said where the government requires privately owned land for a legitimate public purpose and the ownership is lawful, acquisition should be undertaken through the legally prescribed process, including compensation where applicable.

The dispute over the land near Eldoret State Lodge comes amid continuing public debate over historical land allocations, the recovery of public property and the responsibility of government agencies to establish the legitimacy of ownership documents.

However, the allegations concerning the acquisition of the land remain claims attributed to Ngetich and should not be treated as established facts without independent verification of the ownership records and the circumstances under which the property was allocated.

The government’s position on the specific parcel, the legal basis for the proposed recovery and any response from the Moi family would be necessary to establish the full circumstances surrounding the matter.