The explosive claims come after a dramatic incident on November 27, 2024, when Wacira allegedly arrived at the disputed land, accompanied by government vehicles, to evict the residents forcefully. According to the petitioners, led by James Maina, Wacira insisted that she had sold the public land to President Ruto, despite the fact that the land, under an Electrical Way Leave, is not eligible for title deeds
In a sensational turn of events, President William Ruto’s name has been linked to a heated and controversial land dispute involving former Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and a private developer in Nairobi’s Langata area.
The case, currently before Lady Justice Lucy of the Environment and Land Court, has seen the former IDPs, through their representatives, allege that they are facing imminent eviction after a private developer, Ms Susan Wacira of Munyas Villas Limited, claimed to have sold the land they’ve occupied for the past 15 years to none other than the Head of State himself.
The explosive claims come after a dramatic incident on November 27, 2024, when Wacira allegedly arrived at the disputed land, accompanied by government vehicles, to evict the residents forcefully. According to the petitioners, led by James Maina, Wacira insisted that she had sold the public land to President Ruto, despite the fact that the land, under an Electrical Way Leave, is not eligible for title deeds.
In an affidavit, Maina recounts the shocking moment, stating: “We were stunned to receive calls from our families that the 1st Respondent had arrived to forcefully evict everyone from land she had no title to. Despite the land being public and under KPLC’s jurisdiction, Wacira showed up with government vehicles, claiming she had sold it to President William Ruto.”
The drama didn’t end there. Maina claims that KPLC officers, driving a government vehicle, revealed that the land was now owned by President Ruto, and even went so far as to salute and state, “The man on top has spoken,” before allegedly assaulting women, breaking into homes, and stealing property.
The petitioner also claims that during the incident, Wacira made a phone call to an individual who identified himself as President William Ruto, further escalating the shocking nature of these allegations. The matter has since been reported to Langata Police Station, but President Ruto’s name does not appear as a respondent in the case, even though the former IDPs allege that he is the new owner of the disputed land.
The dispute has also seen another alarming twist: one of the petitioners, Zablon Kibe, mysteriously disappeared in January 2023, allegedly abducted by unknown persons. His family has been left in the dark about his whereabouts, and the petitioners claim they were not informed about the ongoing court processes, as many of them lack formal education.
The land in question has become a battleground, with multiple parties claiming ownership. From KPLC to NEMA, and even private individuals like Francis Mwanzia and Jackson Ibrahim, all asserting rights to the same piece of land, the situation is turning into a tangled web of conflicting interests.
In a desperate bid for justice, Maina and his fellow petitioners are seeking a temporary injunction to prevent the respondents, including Wacira, Munyas Villas Ltd., and others, from evicting them or seizing the land. They are also calling for a thorough investigation into the alleged assault and unauthorized eviction, as well as Wacira’s claim to public land. Justice Mbugua, presiding over the case, has set a mention date for January 27, 2025, to determine the next steps, but with the stakes higher than ever, all eyes are on this explosive legal battle.
