State House action could embolden land grabbers

Land belonging to the family of the late President Daniel arap Moi, near Eldoret State Lodge. [Courtesy]

The forceful takeover of land belonging to the family of the late President Daniel arap Moi, which lies adjacent to Eldoret State Lodge, is an affront to the rule of law and the constitutional protection of private property.

The property, registered under Willowdale Investments Limited, has been held by the family since 1996. General Service Unit (GSU) officers raided the five-acre parcel on October 16, 2026 and ordered workers out, reportedly on orders from the State House.

Now, despite a matter seeking to stop the invasion pending before the Environment and Land Court in Eldoret, trees are being felled on the land, and trenches are being dug for a new perimeter wall.

It’s wrong for the State House to occupy and develop land that it does not own by force. Such action is unfathomable in a country that is governed by the rule of law.

Article 40 of the Constitution protects the property right, and the law prescribes clear procedures for the compulsory acquisition of private land and the recovery of any irregularly allocated land. If the State believes that the Moi land was illegally acquired, it must move to court, present its evidence and abide by the outcome. Verbal instructions and the deployment of security personnel are not lawful instruments of repossession. 

It is also preposterous that police officers declined to record the owners’ statement when they went to report the invasion.

If land belonging to a prominent family that has a title deed for the same can be taken in this manner, one wonders what would happen to ordinary Kenyans’ property. Such grabbing of private property, for that is what it is, can only embolden land grabbers out there. They might interpret the development as proof that might, not title deed, is what determines ownership.

The State should withdraw its security officers from the land, halt all construction and submit this dispute to the courts. A government that demands respect for the law must be the first to obey it. Only then can Kenyans trust that their property is secure.