Court delays ruling on Mau Mau descendants, squatters land row

Mau Mau veteran Kamanga Mukonyoro (seated), flanked by his lawyers and Mau Mau descendants at Nakuru Law Courts on December 11, 2024. [Daniel Chege, Standard].

The Environment and Land Court has delayed the ruling on land dispute pitting ex-freedom fighter Kamanga Mukonyoro against some 200 Njoro Golf Club squatters.

Kamanga Mukonyoro is claiming ownership of the 100-acre land in Njoro, alongside 722 Mau Mau descendants referred to as Uhuru Welfare Association.

Jusctice Anthony Ombwayo was to rule on the matter on Wednesday but he informed the parties that the judgment was not ready.

The court will deliver the ruling on December 20, 2024. The two groups have been embroiled in the land dispute since the early 1990s.

Through his lawyers Kipkoech Terer and Paul Wanjir, Mukonyoro claims that the national government allocated them the land in 1982.

Mukonyoro, 98, claims that the Mau Mau and their descendants were allocated the land as appreciation for their sacrifice to rid the British settlers in Kenya.

He accused the squatters of invading the land, building, cultivating and rearing livestock without authority and wants them evicted.

Joseph Chege, the chair of the squatters, submitted that they inherited the land from their late parents who worked in Njoro Golf Club since the 1930s.

Arthur Mbatia, the Deputy Director in the Ministry testified before Justice Anthony Ombwayo that the ministry has certified Part Development Plan (PDP) for the allocation of land to Mukonyoro and his descendants.

“The PDP R23/2001/3 is in the ministry’s records as Approved Plan No 86 and it was certified by the Director of Physical Planning,” testified Mbatia.

Mbatia insisted that the PDP issued to the 723 has not been degazetted or cancelled.

He dismissed as fake, PDP R23/98/7, allegedly issued to the 200 squatters. The same was allegedly certified by the ministry on December 5, 1997 and approved by the Commissioner of Lands on January 21, 1998.

The 200 squatters have occupied part of the land while the rest is occupied by the 723 members.