Lobbies slam NLC over decision on Kakuzi land row

KHRC Program Manager Mary Kambo addresses the media over NLC's decision to dismiss claims requiring Kakuzi to surrender 3200 acres of land to impacted communities on November 26, 2025 along Amboseli road, Nairobi. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard] The Kenya Humans Rights Commission (KHRC) and the Ndula Resource Center (NRC) have criticised the National Land Commission (NLC) for dismissing nine claims lodged by the communities living near Kakuzi farm. The lobbies said that the dismissal was a huge disregard for the history of violations suffered by the communities living near Kakuzi. They said that the dismissed claims were legitimate and the communities had proven their case regardless of the legality of titles. They said that the land currently occupied by Kakuzi was acquired through decades of invasion and colonisation of Kenyan territory by European powers that saw the systemic and forceful displacement of local communities. "The KHRC and NRC have worked with the affected communities, provided legal and advocacy support in pursuit of justice for egregious human rights violations perpetrated by Kakuzi," they said in a statement. In an address to the media yesterday, the two lobby groups welcomed a decision by the commission in a November 14, 2025, gazette notice that recommended that Kakuzi surrenders some 3,200 acres of its land to the community. The community in Kakuzi had lodged several complaints of historical land injustice before NLC. In their recommendation, NLC directed the Ministry of Lands to undertake a vetting process for settlement, regularize the settlement scheme in Kakuzi, document and regularize public utilities and relocate schools and public utilities in contested land. The commission also directed the Ministry to ensure the regularization and documentation of the surrendered land to Murang'a County public utilities to the relevant institutions and departments. If further ordered that in consultation with the county, Kakuzi should surrender at least 50 acres of land for public purpose in exchange of the 5 acres which had been identified. "However, we note with great concern that numerous issues remain unresolved and that the NLC squandered the single-most opportunity available to resolve land justice impasse spanning over decades," said KHRC and NRC in a statement. The faulted NLC for failing to address the issue of Kakuzi's expired lease, reversion of titles and the protection of public roads. "Equally concerning is the LC's failure to acknowledge over a century of pain, including violent evictions in 1989 and 1999 and the link between historical land injustices and systemic human rights violations (rape, killings, assault e.t.c) such as those reported against Kakuzi and other multinational corporations." The further accused NLC of leaving some decisions to be implemented by Kakuzi yet it had been implicated in the displacement of the communities and gross human rights violations. KHRC and NRC want the 3,200 acres to be shared equitably between the different claimant groups and want them resettled in Kinyangi, Kitito and Rubiru as outlined in the documents submitted to NLC, Kakuzi and the Attorney General in September 2024. "The community rejects the NLC's collapsing of four independent claims into a single award. We find it escapist, unjustifiable, and contrary to the specific remedies sought by the communities." The claimant communities want the restoration of land in areas where public utilities such as schools and market existed since 1932 saying that the NLC recommendation is different from their 2019 decision. In the 2019 decision, NLC directed Kakuzi to surrender all public utilities including schools, health centres and markets to the Murang'a County government. The communities oppose the regularisation of the settlement schemes saying that they seek to return to their ancestral land. "There must be establishment of a Technical Working Group to oversee the surrender of public facilities. The impacted communities, the KHRC and NRC should be involved in this." John Mureithi, a member of the community said that they had been affected by Kakuzi actions saying that they have had men arrested for trespassing, animals detained and women raped all in a bid to evict them. "We will not give up we will go to court," he said. Peter Kabugi said that the community welcomes the NLC decision to have Kakuzi surrender land for division and distribution.

Lobbies slam NLC over decision on Kakuzi land row

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week.

Stand With Bold Journalism.
Stand With The Standard.

Related Topics

Popular this week

Latest Stories

The Standard Insider

Digger Classified

GET OUR NEWSLETTER

CONNECT WITH US

FOR THE LATEST JOB ADVERTS

DIGGER JOBS

Digger Motors

Digger Real Estate

Lobbies slam NLC over decision on Kakuzi land row

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week.

Stand With Bold Journalism. Stand With The Standard.

Related Topics

Trending Now

Popular this week

Latest Stories

The Standard Insider

Digger Classified

GET OUR NEWSLETTER

CONNECT WITH US

FOR THE LATEST JOB ADVERTS

Stand With Bold Journalism.
Stand With The Standard.