Kasarani Land Row Erupts: Residents Defend Murkomen, Sudi, Njoroge as KSh20bn Dispute Spirals
A simmering multi-billion-shilling land dispute in Kiambu County has escalated, with residents of the contested 300-acre Kasarani property forcefully rejecting claims linking senior political figures to the saga.
The row, centred on prime land in the Runda-Kasarani area valued at an estimated KSh20 billion, has drawn national attention following reports that Kipchumba Murkomen, Oscar Sudi and Elijah Njoroge were connected to the disputed parcel.
But residents — many of them members of a local farmers’ Sacco — have dismissed the allegations as “misleading”, insisting none of the named leaders has claimed ownership or developed the land.
Instead, they are now demanding urgent government intervention to bring an end to a dispute they say has dragged on for more than four decades.
“You fight for something for over 40 years, you finally succeed, then suddenly a narrative is pushed that this is government land being given out,” one resident said.
Deep historical roots
Community members argue that the land belongs to their forefathers, tracing its origins back to the 1950s when it was allegedly acquired from the Dorobo community.
They say generations have since occupied and cultivated the property, pointing to cooperative records, passbooks, and even burial sites as proof of long-standing ownership.
Despite this, competing claims have repeatedly surfaced — including assertions that the land belongs to the government — fuelling uncertainty and tension among residents.
Call for survey to end chaos
Residents are now urging the state to step in through a formal survey and subdivision process, arguing that proper demarcation would finally settle the ownership question.
They also claim that the emergence of a similarly named entity has created confusion, leading to parallel claims over the same land and complicating efforts to resolve the matter.
Leaders urge calm, deny politics
Local cooperative leaders have warned against politicising the dispute, stressing that the issue is purely about land rights and documentation.
Chairman Austin Gitau Kioi told journalists that the community is not targeting political figures, but is instead focused on securing legal ownership.
Meanwhile, other claimants, including Agnes Nyakianda, say their families have lived on the land for generations, with deep ties rooted in settlement history and education in the area.
Murkomen hits back
The controversy intensified after a report by Daily Nation linked senior figures to the land saga.
In a strongly worded response, Murkomen dismissed the claims as “false and misleading”, denying any involvement in what has been described as a land-grabbing scheme.
A statement from the Ministry of Interior reiterated that the Cabinet Secretary has no interest in the disputed property, as pressure mounts for authorities to resolve one of the region’s longest-running land conflicts.
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