Moi, Biwott linked firm loses battle for prime Eldoret plots

A company associated with former President Daniel Moi and ex-minister Nicholas Biwott has lost five parcels of land in Eldoret town after the High Court ruled that they were public property.

In the judgment, Justice Anthony Ombwayo said the parcels where the High Court in Eldoret stands, the fire station, an Administration Police camp and the district hospital are public property and not available for transfer to investors.

He said the titles held by Lima Limited were null and void, and the parcels must revert to the public.

“In a nutshell, the 1st defendant (Lima ltd) un-procedurally obtained title to the properties in issue as the same had been alienated as public land with public utilities and not available for conversion to private land,” the judge ruled.

Justice Ombwayo declared a deal where the parcels were used to acquire a Sh21 million loan from Trans National bank as null and void. Trans National bank is also associated with the Moi family.

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) moved to court challenging the title issued to Lima arguing that its allocation was illegal. The parcels were allocated between 1995 and 1998.

The defunct Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case in 2006 seeking to find out whether the land was set aside for public utility and whether they were validly alienated.

Former Commissioner of Lands Wilson Gachanja, who was named in the case denied that the land was reserved for use as a fire station or as Administration Police Camp.

Justice Ombwayo said Mr Gachanja had no authority to make the alienation.