Basil Criticos, a former Taveta MP and businessman, sold 2,536 acres of land in the Mata area of Taita Taveta County to William Ruto then Deputy President in 2017.
This transaction has been controversial, especially during the 2022 election campaigns, due to Criticos’ history of land disputes, loan issues, and the broader context of large-scale land ownership in the region.
In a 2022 interview, he confirmed selling the land at market price estimated value per acre around Sh360,000 in 2017, rising later. The deal was approved by the Taita Taveta Land Control Board, and Ruto’s valuers quoted the price.Criticos said he couldn’t disclose the exact amount but emphasized it was legitimate.
At a 2022 rally in Taita Taveta, Ruto described it as a “gift” or award after helping Criticos resolve a loan dispute with the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) a parastatal where Ruto was formerly minister.
Ruto’s Later Clarification: During a presidential debate, Ruto stated he acquired it legally and could provide payment receipts. He was reportedly financed through AFC
Criticos, a businessman and sisal plantation owner, has been a long-time ally of Ruto dating back to KANU days. In 2023, President Ruto appointed him as chairperson of the Kenya Trade Network Agency Board. As of late 2026, Criticos remains involved in legal battles over remaining portions of his land co-owned with former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta, unrelated to the Ruto sale.
This Mata Farm is one of President Ruto’s notable agricultural properties, where he grows maize, rears livestock, and has installed modern irrigation systems.
By Star