The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has successfully recovered a prime half-acre piece of land worth Ksh35 million near the Bungoma State Lodge, following a landmark ruling by the Bungoma Environment and Land Court on October 9, 2025.
The property, registered as Bungoma Township/169, belonged to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development but was unlawfully acquired by a private individual who demolished a government house on the site and built a luxury maisonette.
Justice Enock Cherono declared that the acquisition of the land was fraudulent and unlawful, rendering all transactions that led to private ownership null and void. The court also issued an eviction order against the current occupant and directed the Bungoma Land Registrar to cancel all fraudulent entries related to the property.
According to court documents, EACC investigations revealed that the parcel was among several properties reserved by the government in 1961 for the construction of residential houses for senior public officers. The land, however, was irregularly allocated in 2004 to two individuals who had no legitimate claim to it. They later sold it in 2016 to another party, who went on to erect the maisonette.
The individual later moved to court seeking to be recognized as the rightful owner, but the EACC successfully opposed the petition, citing fraudulent acquisition and misuse of office.
Justice Cherono’s ruling restored ownership of the land to the government and ordered the registrar to expunge all fraudulent titles.
EACC welcomed the judgment, terming it a major victory in reclaiming public assets unlawfully converted for private use. The commission also disclosed that 16 other prime public properties in Bungoma town suspected to have been grabbed are currently under investigation.
This ruling underscores EACC’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding public land and ensuring accountability in land administration.
