Wahome issues warning as land grabbers target school property

Gatoto Community Primary School Director Gideon Mutuku(left) argues with Embakasi South Deputy County Commissioner during forceful takeover of the institution by the government, January 6, 2025. [Benard Orwongo, Standard] After 15 years of protracted legal battles and community resistance, Lavington Primary School was on 11 June officially issued with a 99-year lease title deed for a 20-acre parcel of land. Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome presented the lease. The land accommodates the primary and secondary schools, along with an Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) centre. Wahome expressed regret that the school had been entangled in a land ownership dispute for over a decade, despite a 2017 ruling in its favour. "Grabbers have become so bold that they are targeting school land and even police stations. The long arm of the law will catch up with you," the CS declared as she handed over the document. The school had been in a dispute with Kensom Holdings Limited, which claimed to have leased part of the land from the then Nairobi City Council in 2007 for Sh5 million. A school board member alleged that the company attempted to demolish the perimeter wall and carried out a land survey. However, the National Land Commission (NLC) dismissed Kensom Holdings' claim in 2017. Wahome assured that her ministry would safeguard school property across the country, especially land, and urged headteachers to report such cases formally. During the ceremony, the CS was informed that land grabbers continued to target property belonging to various schools. Mary Kimani, headteacher of Aga Khan Primary School, warned that grabbers were eyeing land owned by several institutions including Aga Khan Primary, Bora Primary, and North Highridge Primary schools. "They are going after schools located in prime areas. This must be stopped," said Kimani. While Lavington Primary celebrates its victory, other schools face uncertainty. St Michael Primary School in Bomet is staring at eviction from a 10.6-acre plot after losing a court case. In a judgement delivered on 26 September 2024, Justice Mary Oundo declared Bomet Technical Institute Limited the rightful owner of the land and ordered the school to vacate. The institute's lawyer, Peter Okiro, said they were preparing to enforce the eviction of the school, which currently hosts more than 500 pupils. "The school has not vacated. We are legally permitted to evict and shall proceed soon," Okiro said. In Mombasa, Nyali School is also at risk of losing its 12.5-acre compound to alleged land grabbers. According to the school management, individuals have been unlawfully subdividing the land. John Mwangi, a member of the school management, said the alleged grabbers failed to provide ownership documentation during a hearing before the NLC. Wahome vowed that the government would recover the land, which is home to both Nyali Primary and Secondary Schools. "To those holding fraudulent title deeds for this land-I'm coming to Mombasa soon to reclaim it," she warned. On 6 January 2025, tensions flared at Gatoto Primary School in Mukuru kwa Reuben, Nairobi, when parents stormed the school to protest alleged land grabbing. "We don't want politics-we just want our school to continue," said one parent. Similar unrest broke out on 26 March 2025 at Canon Apolo School in Mbotela, Nairobi, where parents protested against the construction of a perimeter wall around the school playground. The parents claimed they had not been consulted and expressed fears that the pitch, which includes modern sports courts, might be handed over to a private developer. Political analyst Prof Gitile Naituli alleged that government agencies and parastatals are complicit in the widespread land grabbing. "Ordinary Kenyans without connections at the NLC or Ministry of Lands cannot boldly target school land," said Naituli, calling for an internal audit of land offices to dismantle corruption networks. Other schools facing land disputes include Naka Primary in Nakuru and Laikipia School. Experts have attributed the trend to the fact that many public schools lack title deeds, leaving them vulnerable to illegal claims. Rift Valley Law Society of Kenya chair Aston Muchela warned that unresolved land disputes disrupt learning and threaten the education of thousands of pupils. He urged the government to expedite the titling process.

Wahome issues warning as land grabbers target school property

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