Birth of scandal that will remake home of champions

The Attorney General in 2018 told the High Court that the Ministry of Lands was never involved in the subdivision of the land. [iStockphoto]

When the loan was ultimately repaid in 2001, the families of Sietinei and Korir told the court that they were horrified to learn that the land had been alienated by the government and the defunct Municipal Council of Eldoret.

The land was subdivided into thousands of plots, third-party title deed issued leading to further sales and the birth of Langas, an estate which is currently home to more than 40,000 people. When they went to court the administrators of the two patriarchs, who are now dead, complained that their land had been developed into the sprawling Langas estate.

It is this disputed land that hosts Langas Primary, Langas Health Centre, Kapkenduywa Primary School and much more. Ironically, the title to this land which had been registered in the names of Sieitinei and Korir was never revoked.

During the hearing of the case before the High Court on January 12, 2018, the Attorney General said the Ministry of Lands was never involved in the subdivision of the land.

The court granted Pius Kibet Tott, the administrator of the estate of Sitienei who had sued with authority of Paul Cheruiyot Bittok and Samwel Bittok, the heirs and administrators of the estate of Korir, his prayers for compensation.

Consequently, the government is supposed to pay the claimant Sh4.5 billion and evict the people who reside on the disputed land. This development will forever change Langas.