Press Statement on Unfounded Allegations Against the State Department in Relation to Kibiko Land (LR No.12418)

Our attention has been drawn to malicious and unfounded allegations against the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning and other officers of the Department in relation to land in Kibiko, Kajiado County, which has been the subject of disputes for more than a decade.

We would like to take this opportunity to inform Kenyans that the allegations are misleading and any actions taken by the State Department and its mandated officers in relation to the land have been lawful and have adhered to directions issued by Courts of Law.

The dispute surrounding Keekonyike Community Trust and its land started way back in the year 2014. The dispute involved Trustees of the land and other claimants.

According to the records held by the State Department for Lands and Physical planning at the Nairobi Central Registry, the subject land parcel is contained by measurement 1085.5Hectares (2682acres), situated in west of Nairobi in Kajiado County at Ngong Area. It is for a leasehold term of 99 years with effect from 1^st December 1999. The lease was first registered on 16^th August 2012 in the name of Moses Parantai, Samuel Matina and Joe Ngiroita as Trustees for Keekonyokie Community Trust.

Keekonyokie Community Trust was incorporated on 21^st July 2009 and duly registered on 22^nd July 2009 under The Trustees (Perpetual Succession) Act Chapter 164 as PS No. 1317.

As at the time of registration, Moses Parantai, William Mopel, Samuel Matina, Parsereti Ole Ngomeo Ngussur, Jermiah Sakuda Mpoyo John Kamuye Ole Kiok and Peter Kaaka were registered as the first trustees.

On 4^th November 2013, notification was given of appointment of Moses Masek Monik, Natimama Ole Mamaa and Lawrence Ole Sentenro as new trustees in place of Moses Parantai, John Kamunye Ole Kiok and Peter Kaaka.

On 26^th June 2024, another notification was given of appointment of Moses Masek Monik, Hannah Silapei Tuuko, Emmanuel Litei Shokore, Parsereti Ngomea Ngussur, John Kamuye Ole Kiok Peris Katito George and Sentero Ole Ntiangono as the new trustees. These are the last known registered trustees as per the records held at the Business Registration Services (BRS).

As per the records, a registrar’s caveat was placed against the title to the property on 10^th September 2014. The caveat was withdrawn on 15^th March 2018.

On 15^th December 2022, the Office of the Cabinet Secretary received a letter from the National Land Commission Ref. CF4326/39 dated 15^th December 2022 wherein the Commission confirmed that they had undertaken an alternative dispute resolution process between the Trustees and some claimants over the property. The Commission confirmed to have resolved the dispute and forwarded the following documents to enable the Ministry of Lands undertake subdivision of the land;

1. Registry Index Maps (RIM)
2. Area List
3. Members Register
4. A bundle of documents from Real Plan Consultants Limited.

The Office of the Cabinet Secretary then marked the letter to the Registrar In-charge of the National Titling Center for action.

The Registrar brought the matter to the attention of the Chief Land Registrar but upon scrutiny it was noted that some mandatory completion documents were missing i.e;

1. Original title had not been surrendered
2. Certificate of compliance (PPA 2)/letter of no objection from the County Government approving the subdivision
3. Land Control Board Consent.

In addition to the missing documents, the office of the Chief Land Registrar had on 9^th December 2022, received a complaint from CECM Lands, Housing and Physical Planning Kajiado County wherein the following concerns were raised;

1. That the Keekonyokie Community members had not approved or agreed on the subdivision of the above said land
2. That the officials were holding the original title.
3. That there were two active cases at ELC Court Kajiado. Petition no. 6 of 2019 and ELC case no. 410 of 2017
   1. ELC Case no. 683 of 2014 at Milimani – Keekonyokie Community Trust – vs- Moses Parantai, and two others where the court issued the following order;

The Chief Land Registrar brought the matter to the attention of the Cabinet Secretary and the process was halted pending compliance and determination of the court cases.

COURT CASES

This property (LR NO. 12418) has been a subject of court litigations relating to leadership of the Keekonyokie Community Trust. These cases include:

1. That the suit property herein should be preserved by maintaining the status quo prevailing

2. That the title deed of the suit property be deposited in court pending the hearing and final determination of this suit
3. That no one of the parties herein should subdivide, alienate, waste, demarcate, dispose-off, charge and or in any manner deal unit LR NO. 12418, pending the hearing and final determination of the suit.
   1. ELC Case no. 410 of 2017 at Kajiado (formerly Milimani 683 of 2014) Keekonyokie Community Trust – vs- Moses Parantai, and two others the Court issued the following orders:
4. That the application dated 12^th October 2017 be and is hereby declined
    
5. That the 1^st and 2^nd defendant do deposit in court the title deed to the suit land within 21 days from the date hereof failure to which they will be cited for contempt.
   1. ELC Petition no 6 of 2019 at Kajiado – Philip S. Wuantai and two others – vs- Moses Parantai and 7 others wherein the court issued the following order among others;
6. That pending the hearing and determination of this application inter-parties, this honorable court be and is hereby pleased to restrain the Respondents either by themselves, agents, employees and anyone acting under their name from processing any provisional title , compulsorily acquiring, subdividing, allocating, transferring or in any other way dealing with all that land known as Land reference no. 12418 measuring 1085.5 hectares or thereabout registered in the name of Moses Parantai, Samuel Matina and Joel Ngiroita as trust for Keekonyokie Community Trust (copy of order issued on 28^th May 2019 herein attached).
   
   
   1. ELC Miscellaneous Application no. E008 of 2025 at Kajiado – Keekonyokie Community Trust -Vs- Chief Land Registrar and the Principal Secretary Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development. The honorable court issued the following orders;

Please note that in ELC case no. 410 of 2017, the honorable court sitting on 28^th November 2018 cited Moses Parantai and John Kamunye Ole Kiok for failing to deposit the title in court and were condemned to pay a fine of Kshs 200,000.

1. Notice of motion dated 11^th March 2025 filed by Moses Parantai and others was dismissed

2. Notice of motion dated 12^th February 2025 filed by Moses Monik was allowed under the following terms

    

3. Moses Parantai Ole Shukuru is hereby directed to surrender the original title to LR NO. 12418 to the 1^st respondent within seventy-two (72) hours of the date of this ruling.
    
4. That in default of (1) above, the 1^st respondent do issue and register a Provisional Certificate of title LR No. 12418 in the names of Moses Masek Monik, Hannah Silapei Tuuko, Emmanuel Litei Shokore, Parsereti Ngomea Ngussur, John Kamunye Kiok, Peris Katito George and Sentereo Ole Ntaingono (duly elected Trust of Keekonyokie Community Trust).

The orders in this case were presented for registration on 27^th June 2025. Subsequently, the Office of the Chief Land Registrar duly complied by issuing a Provisional Certificate of Title as directed by the Honorable Court.

On 8^th July 2025, a surrender of title was presented for registration with the following accompanying documents;

1. Provisional Certificate of Title
2. Consent to subdivide from the Land Control Board
3. Certificate of compliance from the County Government of Kajiado

The said surrender was duly registered against the title thereby closing the old title and processing of new titles as per the members register as presented.

On 13^th and 14^th August 2025, two applications were presented for registration of a court order in Civil Application no. E486 of 2025 at the court of Appeal Nairobi, by the firms of KBN Associates and Havi & CO. Advocates. However, the orders could not be registered as the title had been closed on conversion and subdivision. The Chief Land Registrar communicated to the advocates on the same vide his letter ref. NGO/A/59/VOL II/22 dated 3^rd September 2025.

As illustrated by all the facts enumerated above, each and every action taken by the authorized officers of the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning in relation to the disputed land have been lawful.

Moreover, the Ministry of Lands did not act in haste to handle the issue and has waited for the Courts to issue directives since 2022.

The leadership of the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning and the leadership of Kajiado County also initiated a mediation process to help resolve the dispute amicably but the involved parties refused, insisting that they want the Courts to settle the matter. The Courts issued a judgement, which the State Department has implemented, and it is not right for those dissatisfied with the ruling to engage in innuendos and falsehoods.

Despite lodging a complaint with the Ministry in December 2022, the CECM Lands, Housing and Physical Planning, Kajiado County, did not make any other effort in resolving the dispute but has rather been engaging in outright attempts to exacerbate the dispute. 

The recent allegations made by the CECM and Johnson and Partners LLP, and a group that staged a protest in Nairobi yesterday, are purely malicious and meant to hoodwink the public.

Any aggrieved party has the right to seek redress from the Courts that have been handling the dispute since 2014.

Attempts to malign the names of the leadership and officers of the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning, or any other Government official should be treated as baseless and dishonest.

Jibril Adan 

HEAD OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS 

STATE DEPARTMENT FOR LANDS AND PHYSICAL PLANNING