Resettlement process of 966 IDP families kicks off

A tent at Ndonga farm IDP camp in Subukia. [File, Standard] The government has maintained that the resettlement of 966 families that were victims of the 2007 post-election violence will continue as planned on Kisima and Ndonga farms in Nakuru. This is despite an existing question on the validity of the sale of a 750-acre Ndonga farm in Subukia, where the family which owned the land before the sale has been embroiled in a succession battle. The Ministry of Lands yesterday deployed surveyors to install beacons on the two parcels, starting with Kisima Farm in Njoro, where 433 families are to be resettled on Saturday, November 8, 2025. Thereafter, the surveyors will proceed to Ndonga Farm for a similar exercise to pave the way for an official handing over of the parcels to the families. Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria was tasked by President William Ruto to lead the exercise since his constituency currently hosts all the families at New Canaan camp in Pipeline area. Yesterday, Gikaria and lawyer Paul Wanjir, representing the families, held a meeting at the camp where they briefed the families on the process after an outcry that it was dragging on. "The President is very keen to ensure the resettlement is concluded. The Ministry of Lands has assured us that the families will relocate to Kisima Farm on Saturday this week," said Gikaria. He explained that the Ministry had resolved to expedite assigning the parcels to the families without the conventional balloting process. "Each family will be assigned their parcel based on a list generated alphabetically. This will also expedite the processing of title deeds to ensure they rightfully own the parcels," said Gikaria. Wanjir, a High Court advocate, clarified that the pending matter on the validity of a sale agreement of the Ndonga Farm will not affect the resettlement process, as no court orders have been issued against the same. "The latest court order was issued on November 5, 2024, where an application for status quo by ten daughters of the previous owner was dismissed," said Wanjir. The sisters, in their application, heard by Justice Heston Nyaga, failed to obtain explicit orders stopping the government from resettling the families on the parcel. "It is only proper that any major works on the land not akin to the intent of the government settle the IDPs should not be continued," Nyaga ordered. Wanjir said that this order did not in any way stop the families from settling on the farm where they had already embarked on agricultural activities. "The order presented the leeway for the government to proceed with the resettlement process on Ndonga. Further, the court directed that should it be found that the sale was done unlawfully, the sisters should only have recourse against the administrator themselves," said Wanjir. In the application, the sisters had sought to have their brother, Phillip Kamau cited and be found in contempt of earlier orders requiring him and the government to surrender the title deed of the land back to them. Kamau, however had already surrendered the title deed to the government after a sale agreement of Sh97.5 million for the resettlement of 267 families affected by the 2007 violence. His sisters, however disowned the sale, claiming that he had forged their signatures. The title deed is, however yet to be surrendered. In addition to the surrender of the title, the court ordered that the status quo that prevailed as at June 17, 2022 to be maintained. "The status quo at that time, the interested parties (267 families) were already settled on the land. They were cultivating the land as intended by the government," Justice Nyaga ordered. Justice Nyaga dismissed the application, stating that in his view, it was difficult to cite Phillip Kamau for contempt for acts done by the IDPs as a whole, and as such cannot take the blame for such acts. "I do not think the court ought to issue orders in vain. The people on the land need access, and it would be unwise to block the government from constructing roads. I am inclined to grant orders against quarry excavation by any party," Justice Nyaga ordered.

Resettlement process of 966 IDP families kicks off

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