New twist in Karen land row as elder claims ownership

Peter David Leparakwo when he appeared before the National Assembly Public Investment Committee probing ownership of the Karen land. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

A man yesterday tabled a title deed to prove ownership of the disputed Karen land in Nairobi.

The 22.8 acres are also being claimed by National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and five other claimants.

Peter David Leparakwo told the National Assembly’s Public Investment Committee that he inherited the land from a white settler company  by the name A.J Faulkner and sons Limited.

The 76-year-old said he and other four others were given the land — through a letter to the Lands ministry — as a token of appreciation for working for Mr Faulkner for years.

Mr Leparakwo is among seven people claiming ownership of the disputed land that NHIF claims it bought from Kaskazi Limited in 2002.

“We were given the land by Faulkner who was a white settler. We were staying (sic) in Kitale and relocated to Karen and when there was an attempted coup in 1982, Faulkner decided to go back to his country and left for his workers the piece of land,” said Leparakwo.

Accompanied by his son Joram Leparakwo and lawyer Esther Ivan Anya, Leparakwo said none of the other parties claiming ownership have bought the land from him.

Leparakwo said the land was initially registered under LR 13782, but when they processed the land documents, the land was registered under 24968/1 and 24968/2.