A leadership wrangle is brewing among 500 members of Mosem Enterprise, embroiled in a court dispute with Egerton University over ownership of a 2,600-acre land in Njoro Sub County, Nakuru.
Members have accused each other of planned sabotage to allegedly mismanage or unlawfully sell the prime land in Ngongongeri, despite the court dispute.
Over the past one year, the property dispute has seen a member of the community shot by police, temporary structures destroyed by strangers and interference of the property.
Police have also been caught manning the farm as machinery did cultivation and agricultural works, contrary to court orders stopping any activities on the farm.
At first, the over 500 community members united against the police and the university, protesting in the street and in court, over the interference.
However, speaking on behalf of the majority of the members, Richard Moseti, the National Alliance against Corruption official, said some members had started selling off part of the land without authority.
“Some of the members have masqueraded as officials of the community and have started conning Kenyans to buy part of the land,” claimed Moseti.
He accused one of the members, Richard Langat, of using Mosem’s name to con residents of Molo, Olenguruone, Eldoret, Sotik, Bomet, Kipkelion, among other areas.
According to Moseti, residents complained that they had been urged to pay between Sh3,000 to Sh30,000 for alleged registration to be offered land.
“We have testimonials from residents who claimed they were in the process of buying the land. The position is that the land is not available for sale because it is a subject of a court dispute,” maintained Moseti.
Moseti insisted that the community only recognizes Moses Owino as the Director of the enterprise and any other person claiming to be the leader was masquerading.
He warned residents paying Langat money that they had been duped and warned others not to engage in any transactions with him.
“If you have paid Langat, know that any deal from it is null and void. To other residents, heed warning and do due diligence before buying land from Ngongongeri,” he said.
We contacted Langat for comments and he shifted blame to the officials, saying they are the ones who duped the members.
Langat denied claims that he had been conning residents and insisted that he was a member of the enterprise and not an official.
“We have our differences because of the path the officials took but I am not involved in any fraud,” he insisted.
The wrangles come even as the members want the University Vice Chancellor Professor Isaac Kibwage, OCPD Njoro Stanley Koech, Deputy County Commissioner Mokin Ptanguny among others summoned for disobeying court orders.
Through their Lawyer David Mongeri, the community have filed an application before Justice Anthony Ombwayo, submitting that the university had been colluding with authorities to interfere with the possession of the land.
The community submitted that the local authorities have dug a big trench to act as a barrier for the community not to access the land.
“They should be found guilty of contempt of court because their actions are disobedience of court orders,” submitted Mongeri.
A court order maintaining the status quo was issued on December 16, 2024, in which Ombwayo maintained the status quo, restraining anyone from entering or evicting individuals currently occupying the land.
Later, the court restricted both parties from interfering with any activities on the farm until the land dispute was resolved.
