Land Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome announced on Monday, March 4, that the Ministry had initiated the process of reclaiming unlawfully acquired public land nationwide.
She highlighted that the Ministry of Lands was beginning its efforts with the recovery of the grabbed land belonging to Kitale Prison.
This action follows President William Ruto's directive in January to expel individuals unlawfully occupying public land, particularly land designated for prisons.
"The grabbed Kitale Prison Land is just but one of the many cases of public land acquired fraudulently that the government is acting on recovering for its intended purpose of benefiting Kenyans and not individuals," read a statement from the CS.
Wahome spoke while touring the land in question in Kitale, accompanied by Lands Principal Secretary Nixon Korir, PS Correctional Services Salome Muhia, Commissioner General of Prisons Brigadier (retired) John Warioba, as well as CBS and Trans Nzoia County Commissioner Gideon Oyagi, among other officials.
The Cabinet Secretary emphasised that the ministry is dedicated to ensuring that the unlawfully acquired land parcels are reclaimed to benefit the interests of Kenyans.
Significantly, during his visit to Trans Nzoia County on January 17, Ruto lamented that the individuals unlawfully occupying Kitale Prison's land were impeding development plans.
He added that the government was planning to relocate the prisons since it was occupying land meant for the construction of a city.
The Head of State further called upon all individuals illegally occupying public land to surrender the grabbed parcels to the Ministry of Land.
"Where I want to relocate the prisons have been grabbed and turned into private land. I am issuing a notice that all those who have grabbed the prison's land should pack their things and leave," Ruto directed.
Ruto spoke after leaders from the county raised concerns about influential individuals grabbing huge chunks of public land.
In response to Ruto's directive on January 31, Deputy Commissioner of Prisons Charles Mutembei led the inmates in placing beacons on the designated land.
Nevertheless, residents who purchased the unlawfully acquired land have urged the government to explore avenues for compensating them.
